


amicus curiae

by prettyboitooru



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Lawyers, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Banter, Clubbing, Denial of Feelings, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, Iwaizumi is a stubborn brute, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, Rivals to Lovers, Slow Burn, Smut, Some Humor, Teasing, iwaizumi is bad at dancing, iwaizumi is oblivious to his own feelings because of course he is, oikawa is the golden boy because of course he is, you know the typical iwaoi stuff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:28:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 38,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27921526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettyboitooru/pseuds/prettyboitooru
Summary: iwaizumi hajime has always considered oikawa tooru his biggest rival in the courtroom. however, when he gets assigned a high profile case that's a bit more than even he can handle, he turns to the most unexpected person to receive help.
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime & Oikawa Tooru, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru
Comments: 36
Kudos: 108





	1. in a moment of weakness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iwaizumi found the crumpled napkin on his entryway table at 8 o’clock on a Thursday night. Arching his head up, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Unfortunately, his pride was on the line whether or not he called. He could either admit he needed Oikawa’s help and show weakness to his biggest competitor, or he could lose the case in about two months' time and face intense scrutiny from his firm while also taking a hit to his reputation as an attorney.
> 
> Fuck this, Iwaizumi thought as he typed the numbers into his phone and pressed the call button.

Iwaizumi Hajime stood in front of the judge after delivering one of his final remarks. It was a last-ditch effort to save a semblance of his dignity after this case had basically diminished it all. Unfortunately for him, the judge did not look impressed.

“Your honor, I feel as if Iwaizumi-san is missing the point here. He’s making direct attacks on my client that I have already disproven,” Iwaizumi’s rival exclaimed, standing up to address the claim that, truthfully, had no grounds.

The judge sighed, rubbing his forehead. This particular judge has had the unfortunate job of dealing with this particular pair a few too many times. Iwaizumi Hajime and Oikawa Tooru always managed to be working directly against each other in Iwaizumi’s most important cases. Seeing as Oikawa was one of the best defense attorneys in the nation, known for his ability to get his client out of anything, and Iwaizumi was one of the best prosecutors, it was no surprise their paths crossed so often. 

In the times they had gone head to head, Oikawa had won half of the cases and Iwaizumi had won the other. The trials were always so long and drawn out and it was more a mental game than anything. Unfortunately, this time Oikawa had the upper hand. When Iwaizumi first received the file for this case, he knew the defendant wasn’t guilty. Still, he compiled the best evidence he could to prove that the man accused had in fact committed this high scale fraud, but there wasn’t much to work with. His client had a strong vendetta against the accused man because he slept with his wife but there wasn’t a crime there. Iwaizumi begged him to back down from the case but he just kept offering more money to take it until the firm made him cave.

Now he stood in the middle of the courtroom as Oikawa made an absolute fool of him.

The judge looked at Iwaizumi, a small frown on his lips. “Do you have any other evidence to support that the defendant committed fraud against your client?”

“No, your honor. I have presented my case.”

He nodded before dismissing the jury to make their deliberation. It was embarrassing to present a case like this but his firm insisted he take it. After viewing the file, the firm should have given the case to a lower profile attorney but instead, it got passed off to him. He hated cases that were impossible to win which is why he never usually accepted them.

The only thing that was left was waiting. The jury would talk it over, decide what they thought, and Iwaizumi would go home. The whole ordeal couldn’t take too much longer considering there really wasn’t even a case here. His client got up from his chair, dismissing himself to the bathroom. This had to be as much of a hit to his pride as it was to Iwaizumi’s. He lost his wife and this case. He probably thought that if he had a good lawyer he could win, but that wasn’t how things worked. 

Oikawa noticed the absence of his opponent’s client, walking over to the prosecution table and leaning against it. “Why did you take this?”

“Why do you think?” 

He had taken cases that had all the odds stacked against him before. That was how this worked. High profile clients want high profile attorneys and they’ll do whatever they have to to get them. This situation was no different.

“You know, Iwa-chan, when I see it’s you I’ll be up against, I expect more of a challenge.”

Iwaizumi had wasted enough breath telling Oikawa not to call him that so he ignored it, rolling his eyes. “I did everything I could. One look at the file and you know it’s all bullshit. You should have expected this.”

“I did. This is exactly how I thought it would play out. I just also expected you to prove me wrong. Guess I gave you too much credit.”

“You’re such a piece of shit.”

“Your client is coming back,” Oikawa sang as he knocked on the tabletop, standing up. “Do your best to comfort him after you lose.”

_ This is embarrassing,  _ Iwaizumi thought to himself as he slumped down in the chair. It was bad enough to have a dead-end assignment. To go up against Oikawa was just icing on the shit cake.

His client strolled back into the courtroom just as the jurors filed back into their seats. It didn’t take long for them to come to what was a very obvious conclusion.

“The jury has found the defendant not guilty,” the spokesperson for the jury announced before taking a seat.

Iwaizumi chose to ignore the smirk that was spreading across his opponent’s face and instead turned to his client. “I did everything I could.”

“You presented an excellent case. I’m sorry I wasted your time,” the man bowed, taking his leave from the court and leaving his lawyer that had just worked so hard open to receive torment.

Papers were shoved into his briefcase haphazardly while Iwaizumi loosened his tie. It was done. It was over. So Oikawa had one more win than him now. Who cares? He would just win the next one.

He turned to find the other attorney leaning up against the railing, briefcase in hand and suit still looking obnoxiously pristine given they just sat for two hours. Oikawa said nothing, just watched his opponent attempt to gather whatever shame he had left.

“What?”

“Nothing,” he shrugged, unwavering confidence spilling from his every action. “I’ll see you soon.”

Iwaizumi shook his head, doing his best to shake him off. Oikawa was the master at mind games but he wouldn’t let him invade his thoughts. Not today. He had done enough damage.

☀/☾

The bar was filled with smoke just as it always was. The barstools seats were peeling from the wear and tear the fake leather went under. The wood countertop was in a constant state of being sticky, but Iwaizumi rested his arms on it anyway, too tired to care. He spent hours on a case that he would have barely looked at if he was going against any other lawyer.

That floppy-haired bastard was quite literally the bane of his existence. His suits were always perfect and he won over the jurors with his charisma the second he walked through the door. There was a point in time that the court, albeit jokingly, debated an all-male jury to avoid a certain bias but even that had its holes. Oikawa Tooru was undoubtedly the biggest pain in the ass. It just made it worse that he was a damn good lawyer.

The bartender Iwaizumi had come to befriend passed him another glass of whiskey, giving him a sympathetic smile. “Hard day?”

“You have no idea.”

“Look at it this way,” Kuroo began, leaning on the bartop. “It’s done now so you can just move on.”

“If stupid Oikawa ever lets me,” Iwaizumi mumbled.

“That’s who you were up against? I’ll keep ‘em coming, then.”

It was safe to say that Iwaizumi came into Kuroo’s bar a  _ lot.  _ The bartender was a good listener and always knew when to give advice or just pour another drink. Tonight was a night to just pour another drink. Kuroo had heard Iwaizumi’s lamentations about the thorn in his side a few too many times. If the name Oikawa came out of the man’s mouth, it was never a good sign.

Oikawa’s words echoed around Iwaizumi’s head as the alcohol began to set in. Oikawa had expected more from him. Oikawa was disappointed in him. What was that even supposed to mean? More importantly, why should he even care? He had done the best he could. No matter what he did, there was no way he could have pieced the case together to make it look like the defendant stole even a penny. Ultimately, this whole thing should have just been settled in civil court. 

If Oikawa was disappointed in him, Iwaizumi just had to continually put himself in positions where he would come out on top. He didn’t want another speech from the asshole defense attorney that had too much confidence for his own good. All he wanted at this very moment was to one day tell Oikawa that he had let  _ him _ down. He wanted to target Oikawa’s pride and drag him down from the pedestal he had placed himself on.

☀/☾

First thing Monday morning, Iwaizumi expected the ass chewing of a lifetime. Everyone in the firm expected a loss, but they didn’t expect their best lawyer to get dragged across the courtroom for two hours straight. He placed his briefcase on the desk just for his coworker, Matsukawa, to pop his head in the door. “They want you in the conference room.”

Iwaizumi laid his hands flat against the desk, taking in a big breath. This was how things were the first workday after the completion of a case. You get a new case to add to your workload. He was used to this and normally, he had no reservations collecting the information. It just was hard to collect his pride after the embarrassing loss a few days ago, but he was sure that everything would be discussed before he was given any sort of new case.

Nobuteru sat at the head of the table, a hefty case file in front of him. After seeing the amount of content in the manilla folder, Iwaizumi knew that there would be multiple others just like it. 

“Attempted tax evasion,” Nobuteru sighed, looking up at Iwaizumi. “Except, this one seems a bit messy.”

Tax evasion was a common charge Iwaizumi saw since he worked primarily with businesses and corporations. It wasn’t uncommon for heads of companies to cut corners for increased profits. It took a lot for his boss to consider a certain case  _ messy  _ so his curiosity spiked. “How so?”

“It’s our client’s son.”

“Classic family drama,” Iwaizumi smiled. “Let me guess, he has two sons that are currently co-heirs?”

It wasn’t unusual to see CEO’s children fight for shareholdings, but it didn’t always reach such extremes that it ended in a lawsuit. A couple of faked numbers and shady deals under the table, sure. But tax fraud? It was one of the riskiest paths to take and had one of the lowest payoffs.

“Seems like an unhealthy family competition. Our client thinks his son was hiding profits from the government in order to skew his total yearly revenue in the company.”

“If his sector had a higher revenue, he would have the opportunity to have a higher amount of shares,” Iwaizumi continued the train of thought.

“Bingo.”

“So we have a solid motive. Any evidence?”

“It’s… jumbled, but there’s plenty to go through. Matsukawa didn’t know what to think of it all when he collected it from the client. I’m hoping you can piece it together.”

“Should be simple enough. I just need a few indisputable pieces to work with and it should be smooth sailing.”

“Iwaizumi, before you go. I need you to understand how important this case is. Our client is Ito Mosu.”

The Ito’s were the face of an extremely successful studio. They had produced plenty of shows that soared in popularity. To have a potential scandal like this not see a proper resolution could be detrimental to the company’s reputation and would affect future projects from here on out.

“I’ll do everything I can.”

Nobuteru nodded before telling Iwaizumi he could find the rest of the paperwork in his office. Supposedly, the client planned on dropping more off in the chance they uncovered anything. That was just fine with Iwaizumi. The more evidence means the more concrete of an argument he could make.

Unfortunately, this was what Iwaizumi would consider  _ too much _ .

Sorting through the evidence took all day. He had several different stacks going that he hoped to be able to put into corresponding boxes. His boss was right. This was a mess. There were some pages that made everything seem so blatantly obvious, but others that contradicted particular evidence with radically different numbers. So far, the most useful thing was a spreadsheet that outlined which people were in charge of which projects. With that information, Iwaizumi could track spending and revenue for all of the younger brother, Tojiro’s, cases. Given the sheer amount of paperwork he had to go through though, this could take weeks. Thankfully the court case wouldn’t be scheduled until he completed his review, because he would be using all that time he could get to piece together the random bits of information he collected.

The entire week was spent setting aside what was the most useful to him. He could worry about what his opponent might say or do later. Right now, he had to form his own case.

All he had was a few instances of unreported spending, inconsistent reports regarding quarterly revenue, and an incomplete tax form. If the company was much smaller, this would be more than enough to win a case. However, this was a group with a respectable presence in the business world. The brother would most likely have a reputable lawyer that could tear through this measly stack of papers with his eyes closed. If it was Oikawa, he would somehow find a way to make it look like it was the father who committed tax fraud and win a counter lawsuit for emotional distress and slander all while batting his eyelashes and smiling prettily for the jurors.

By Friday evening, his head  _ hurt.  _ Cases typically didn’t take him this long to sort through, but there was something off here. Either Tojiro was really good at covering his track and genuinely tried to evade taxes, or he was a moron that did it all accidentally. So far, Iwaizumi was leaning towards this all being a big mistake. Yes, there were a few slip-ups and what appeared to be irresponsible spending habits, but there were plenty of documents proving his innocence. Iwaizumi would have to find a way to discredit the other documents while still pushing the validity of his own. 

He needed a drink.

He needed twelve drinks.

Kuroo wasn’t there when he walked in, but Iwaizumi was silently grateful. As much as the rooster haired bartender’s comforting comments were welcome, he truly just wanted a second alone without all the paperwork. The whiskey burned against his throat, but the residual warmth after the liquid had gone down was worth it.

He sat in the same chair he always did. Last at the bar and furthest away from the door. It allowed him to lean up against the wall and corner himself off as to avoid any unwanted conversations. He used to sit closer to the middle before a few work buddies found him, surrounded him, and made him spend the whole night in their very much unwanted company.

Tonight his seating tactic didn’t work. When he suddenly felt a presence next to him, he refused to look up. Making eye contact presented the opportunity for conversation. He didn’t want the stranger to believe there was any chance for pleasantries.

“Becoming an alcoholic wouldn’t be very good for your image, Iwa-chan. You’re always on the clock when you’re a man like yourself.”

“Oikawa,” Iwaizumi huffed, still refusing to look at the man beside him.

Oikawa grabbed his glass and took a sip. That, unfortunately, gained Iwaizumi’s attention very quickly. He resisted the urge to smirk at Oikawa’s unpleasant reaction to the drink, his face twisted and contorted as he handed the glass back. Iwaizumi instantly moved it next to the wall to avoid any further advancements, though he thought it would be unlikely.

“You should really try mixed drinks,” Oikawa mumbled, distaste still coloring his face. “Much easier on your stomach.”

“A glass full of sugar is easier on your stomach?”

“Hell if I know. I just know it tastes a lot better.”

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. “What are you doing here, Oikawa?”

“Saw you got the Ito family case,” Oikawa smirked.

The way Oikawa’s lips quirked sent dread through Iwaizumi. “I did. Here to tell me you’re the defense?”

“I wish,” Oikawa sighed, slumping in his chair. “I’m actually taking some time off so I wasn’t available to take the case on. They went to another firm anyway.”

Iwaizumi laughed. “So they wouldn’t have chosen you even if you were available. Classic.”

“I’ll have you know, I’m the best defense attorney in the country.”

“Whatever. You still haven’t told me why you’re here.”

That ever-present, shit-eating grin Oikawa always wore grew. “This case is weird, is it not?”

“Been researching during your vacation?” Iwaizumi knew that the information the public had didn’t even scratch the surface, yet Oikawa still picked up on  _ something.  _ He wished so desperately he could deny that Oikawa was good at his job but his skills spoke for themselves.

“Maybe a little. Only because you’re the prosecutor,” Oikawa admitted. “I wanted to know what you were dealing with during my absence.”

Iwaizumi knew this was turning into a prodding session. “You should know better than anyone that it isn’t wise to disclose details before the hearing.”

“I was simply pointing out what I had observed. I think this is going to be a tricky one for you to win, Iwa-chan. You better pull together a foolproof case.”

“I know what I’m doing.”

Oikawa’s hands shot up in defense. “Not saying you don’t.” He wrote on a napkin and slid it towards Iwaizumi. “If you need help, give me a call. I’m not above sharing my expertise.”

Iwaizumi chose not to respond and ignored Oikawa patting his shoulder before he walked away. He should have thrown the stupid napkin away, but instead, he shoved it in his pocket and took another swig from his drink. Considering how big of a thorn in his side Oikawa was, at the end of the stem could be an awfully pretty rose. Iwaizumi just had to ensure he played his cards right to take advantage of what easily could be a golden opportunity to secure success in court.

☀/☾

It only took a week. Less than a week to be exact.

Six days later and Iwaizumi was feeling the pressure of the case. His boss had come in to warn him of all that was on the table considering his recent loss with the last fraud case and the weight of a possible two major public losses in a row was dragging down his confidence. The continual issue he had was that for every piece of evidence he found, there was a random single sheet of paper that disproved it. While he was frustrated by the developments, he was thankful to have access to this as to not be blindsided in court. Not knowing about one tiny detail could cost the case if the defense used it perfectly. He’d have to quickly redirect a derailer argument with no real hope for recovering.

Iwaizumi found the crumpled napkin on his entryway table at 8 o’clock on a Thursday night. Arching his head up, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Unfortunately, his pride was on the line whether or not he called. He could either admit he needed Oikawa’s help and show weakness to his biggest competitor, or he could lose the case in about two months' time and face intense scrutiny from his firm while also taking a hit to his reputation as an attorney.

_ Fuck this,  _ Iwaizumi thought as he typed the numbers into his phone and pressed the call button. The ringing seemed to last a lifetime as he waited for the man to pick up the phone. He could almost picture the smile that would be on Oikawa’s face when he figured out who was calling. The image alone was enough to make him want to hang up and figure this out on his own. Hanamaki and Matsukawa were both incredibly competent and all three of them could most likely form a case just as well as Oikawa could. The only difference was that Oikawa wasn’t working right now and his friends were. They might not have the time he needed them to have to bail him out of this seemingly hopeless situation. Knowing this fact didn’t change the gnawing in his gut at the thought of turning to the one he despised the most.

Right as he pulled the phone away from his ear, he heard the signature cheery voice that made his stomach turn.

“Oikawa Tooru.”

Iwaizumi took a deep breath. He could do this. He could ask for help. “It’s Iwaizumi.”

“Iwa-chan! I’m glad you called. I know the defense is going to be and I want in.”

He hadn’t even bothered to keep track of who would be representing the other side, too consumed with his portion of the case. “Good or bad.”

“It’s just Ushiwaka. You can beat him. The thing is just that you  _ have  _ to beat him.”

Ushijima Wakatoshi. He knew the name. He also knew that Oikawa could not stand Ushijima for whatever reason the flamboyant piece of shit had. Iwaizumi had gone up against Ushijima in court a few times and it was always an interesting experience that almost always defied his expectations. While Oikawa was charismatic and lively, Ushijima was a stone wall that could deliver fact after fact with such hard confidence that it could be near impossible to break through at times. It wasn’t the worst-case scenario, it just wasn’t the best. Iwaizumi had knocked holes through that very wall multiple times. 

Iwaizumi held the phone against his face with his shoulder as mindlessly sorted through the trash that had collected on his entry table. He just needed something to do so his mind wasn’t entirely on the fact that he was about to invite Oikawa over. “I would like to win this case regardless of your weird rivalry. Are you still willing to help me?”

“Of course, Iwa-chan. I wouldn’t tease like that. When are you free?”

“Uh, what about now?”

Oikawa tsk’ed and Iwaizumi could picture him shaking his head. “So needy.”

Blood rushed to Iwaizumi’s ears, partly from frustration and partly from the embarrassment that flooded in with the shock. “You know what? Nevermind. I’m good.”

“No! I’m sorry. Tell me where to meet you.”

Iwaizumi gave him his address and apartment number, albeit hesitantly. Taking a deep breath, he spent the next fifteen minutes convincing himself he made the right decision. This was the best move for his career. When someone like Oikawa Tooru offers you help, you take it, even if there will be some weird catch later and you might not have any sanity left by the end of it.

There was a knock on the door and a quiet  _ yoohoo, Iwa-chan  _ that could be heard from behind the wooden barrier. Iwaizumi took a deep breath, suddenly itching for a cigarette despite the fact that he quit five years ago. He thought about the pack that was buried at the back of the very entry table he currently stood in front of. A second knock on the door drew his thoughts away from it.

Oikawa’s smile was far too bright considering he was spending a late night at his enemy’s apartment to  _ help him _ . He let himself in, kicking off his shoes and walking farther into the apartment, not bothering to wait for any type of invitation. His smile fell into a slight frown by the time he reached the living room. Iwaizumi wondered if it was smaller than expected. This place was by no means small, but Iwaizumi didn’t believe in living the gaudy lifestyle he was sure Oikawa lived.

Oikawa quickly revealed the meaning of his frown when he turned around to face Iwaizumi fully. “I thought you would be cleaner than this.”

“I’m in the middle of putting together a case. In case you forgot, it’s the reason I even called you.” Why did he care about what Oikawa thought of the state of his apartment? He shook it off, walking into what was normally open space and picking up a handful of pages from the barely sorted box beside his favorite chair.

Oikawa waved him off as he looked at all the stacks of paper covering the floor. “Do you have a particular order?”

“Left side is evidence and the right is just stacks I haven’t gone through yet.” Iwaizumi nodded towards the different stacks with his head, hands full.

“What does it mean if there are two piles side by side?”

“Evidence and then anything that could be used to disprove it.”

“So why do you need my help?” Oikawa asked, dropping onto the couch, arms resting against the back of the couch. “Seems like you’re doing just fine on your own.”

The cigarettes at the back of the drawer were extra tempting at this moment as he was forced to swallow his pride and practically admit to the man with an ungodly amount of confidence that  _ he was insecure.  _ “The second pair of eyes is always nice. Plus, I know there’s something I’m missing and it’s literally your job to find what the prosecutor might overlook and take advantage of that.”

“Do you want me to put together a defense case?”

“I want to know what you would use to win. Which documents stand out the most. I don’t need a whole case, just your train of thought.”

Oikawa smirked and nodded, understanding Iwaizumi’s request. “That way you can cover holes.”

“More or less.”

Oikawa leaned forward, picking up the first set of dual stacks and smiling to himself. “You know, this isn’t a completely selfless act.”

“What do you mean?”

“I get to see the way your brain works. Pick you apart. It’ll help me next time I go up against you if I have a better idea of how you think,” he explained, not bothering to look up from the paper in his hand.

“Can’t I say the same thing about you?” Iwaizumi had a perfect opportunity to observe what made something important to the best defense attorney he knew. He could analyze all the materials and figure out what made these things stand out. What made them strong enough to bring down an entire case.

“You could, but there’s a key difference between you and me, Iwa-chan. I can choose how much to invest in the case. It doesn’t affect me outside of your living room. You, however… For you, this is your everything. It’s your position, it’s your reputation, it’s a current job, but it also could affect future jobs. Am I wrong?”

Oikawa had a habit of explaining a situation so perfectly that it made Iwaizumi know exactly where he stood while backing him into a corner all at once. More often than not, Oikawa had the upper hand, driving Iwaizumi’s insecurities to the forefront of his mind. Maintaining as blank of a face as possible, he simply turned to better face Oikawa from where he sat and sighed. “Do you want me to ask you to leave?”

“No. I just didn’t think it was fair to take advantage of you given your current state.”

_ His current state.  _ Did Oikawa view him as weak? Unable to create a coherent argument from a mess of a case? Calling him was clearly a mistake. His help would have been valuable, but he wasn’t going to tolerate being seen as incompetent when he earned his position and reputation all on his own. He scanned the floor of all the documents, taking in all the work he had already done. There was a bite to his tone when he spoke again. “I don’t want your pity.”

“You don’t have it. I will never pity you. That would mean I looked down on you in some way and you’re the only person I consider my equal.”

“Your equal,” Iwaizumi repeated, trying his best to mask his disbelief and appear uninterested. He didn't think Oikawa Tooru considered anyone as good as him in any aspect of his life. Not with the way he carried himself through every room like his presence alone was a blessing. The most frustrating part of it all was that Oikawa earned his pride. He was a damn good lawyer. 

“I don’t do charity work, Iwa-chan. If you need help, that must mean it’s rough. I was only trying to say that you’re under a lot of stress given your current situation and I didn’t want to hide my true intentions for helping you,” Oikawa stated, leaning back once more and crossing his legs. “You’re the only person I would ever do this for and that’s the truth. No one else is good enough to earn my unpaid assistance.”

“You’re so full of yourself.”

“Confidence gets you pretty far. Especially in court.”

He wasn’t wrong, but Iwaizumi wasn’t going to admit that out loud. Instead, he just turned his attention to more paperwork. He didn’t call Oikawa here to chat and bicker, he genuinely wanted his insight as much as it pained him to admit that.

They each worked individually for a while, nothing but the sound of pages flipping to fill the silence. Every now and then Oikawa would sigh or hum under his breath while Iwaizumi did his best to ignore it. He knew it was probably a bait for Iwaizumi to ask what was found, but if it were really that important or impressive, Oikawa could speak up and use his words.

Iwaizumi was still at a dead end but Oikawa seemed to be moving quickly, clearly having the upper hand. It’s not hard to defend someone when the prosecution has so many holes. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what Iwaizumi’s case was becoming. Hole after hole. Ushijima could probably pin down just one of them and bring down the whole case if he wanted to end things quickly.

“You’re lucky I don’t have this case. It would be another embarrassing few hours, Iwa-chan.”

Iwaizumi rubbed his forehead, letting out a deep sigh. While he was also thankful Oikawa wouldn’t be his opponent, he didn’t enjoy hearing how much of a shitshow this case was. “Are you here to help me or mock me? I only have time for one and it’s not the latter.”

“I’m looking! This might take a while though. Can you tolerate me for more than a few hours?” Oikawa teased.

“If it means I win this case, then yes.”

Oikawa nodded and mumbled something that sounded like  _ one track mind  _ before he continued flipping through the pages on his lap. Oikawa’s sorting system seemed to derail the one that Iwaizumi had but he bit back his frustration knowing that he could be doing all this on his own. He could figure out the order and make sense of it once the bastard left, but right now he would just let whatever was happening continue. 

As he watched the defense attorney’s chaotic organization, he realized Oikawa wasn’t a total eyesore when he wasn’t talking and grating Iwaizumi’s last nerve. The low light glinted in his soft brown hair and the shadows fell just perfectly over his face. He almost wished he had a camera to capture the very first moment he didn’t want to strangle Oikawa Tooru.

Without looking up, Oikawa smirked, his fingers trailing over the printed spreadsheet. “A picture will last longer, Iwa-chan.”

Iwaizumi felt his face heat as he turned his attention to the unsorted box. “Just not used to seeing your mouth shut.”

Oikawa laughed, but he didn’t retort in any fashion. Iwaizumi knew he probably stopped talking at some point, he just had never seen it. However, the other had to be a hard worker, or else he wouldn’t be in the position he was at his age. Iwaizumi should know considering how hard he had to work to become his firm’s top attorney. 

It was at two in the morning, after five hours of working in somewhat comfortable silence, that Oikawa finally set the papers down, leaned forward, and rested his elbows on his knees. “I’ll come back.”

“You don’t have to,” Iwaizumi replied despite the fact that he actually wanted him to. Oikawa was a cocky asshole but he was intelligent and observant and it helped to have someone like him help with a case like this. 

“I’d like to see this case to the end if you don’t mind.”

“I didn’t think you knew how to ask for permission.”

“I’m not sure why I did when I’m the saint that’s helping you out of the goodness of my heart.”

“With your shitty personality, I can’t picture you doing anything  _ out of the goodness of your heart.  _ Besides, you already told me the real reason you’re here. I’m not stupid enough to forget so soon.”

Oikawa simply smiled before walking towards the entryway. “Tomorrow? I would prefer a bit earlier in the day though. Past a certain hour, it begins to feel like a booty call, you know.”

“Is six an appropriate hour for the gentleman?” Iwaizumi asked, not bothering to cover the mocking tone in his voice.

“That’s a perfectly socially acceptable time for two respectable men to meet.”

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes before shoving him out the door in every sense of the phrase besides actually physically pushing him. Iwaizumi would be working on this case every day for a while, regardless of whether or not he had any assistance. If Oikawa wanted to bother himself by always being here, that was his choice.


	2. not so shiny revelations

Keeping his eyes open was a near-impossible feat the next morning, as Iwaizumi sat in the office and sorted through some of his easier cases. Things fell in place like the simplest puzzle and while Iwaizumi was grateful for it, he couldn’t help but feel frustrated that his important case wasn’t going similarly. While he hadn’t completely agreed to take it on yet, if the case were to go his way, it would do wonders for his reputation.

There was a quiet knock on his door at the end of the workday before Hanamaki peeked inside. Iwaizumi waved him in and he sat in front of the desk, releasing a deep sigh.

“Long week,” he muttered.

Iwaizumi hummed in agreement, putting away a file for a case he recently completed.

Hanamaki watched him, eyes narrowing as he studied Iwaizumi’s features. “Did you even sleep last night?”

“I was working on the Ito case last night.”

“Oof, Hanamaki breathed out while giving a sympathetic laugh. “Matsukawa told me about the shitshow that was. I don’t think I would agree to take it.”

“You have no idea. If I didn’t have help, I would be fucked.”

“Matsukawa lending a hand?”

Iwaizumi froze. It wasn’t uncommon for lawyers to ask for advice from their peers. Not every case was straight forward and obvious. Iwaizumi had gone to Matsukawa and Hanamaki both plenty of times when needing a second opinion. However, he had never gone and sought advice from an opposing firm. He should have never let that slip. This could all be blamed on the lack of sleep, sure, but there was little room for recovery now. Iwaizumi trailed off trying to avoid the question. “No, uh…”

Hanamaki’s eyes narrowed. “Who helped?”

He cleared his throat. God, this was his worst nightmare. “Oikawa.”

“Oikawa as in Oikawa Tooru?”

Iwaizumi was trying to maintain a confident and sure facade, even though he was pretty sure it had already slipped. It was gone the moment he mentioned the help he was receiving. “Maybe.”

“Iwaizumi.”

Burying his head in his hands, he groaned. He had complained about the defense attorney to Hanamaki more times than he could count and now here he was admitting he was getting his assistance. Surely there was a reasonable way to defend himself here, but Iwaizumi felt as if he was grasping at straws just to come up empty-handed. “I know. It’s stupid but he offered to help since he’s taken some time off and he’s one of the best defense attorneys in the city.”

“I know all that. You don’t have to explain yourself to me. I would have probably taken him up on it too. I just don’t get why  _ you  _ did. You hate Oikawa.”

“Yes.” He hated Oikawa potentially more than any other prosecutor in the city. He felt confident about that. 

“So,  _ why _ ?” Hanamaki repeated, determined to get the answer that Iwaizumi was fruitlessly avoiding giving.

“I don’t know.”

Hanamaki laughed, leaning back in the chair, hands resting on the back of his head. “I’ll just assume you were desperate.”

“It’s not that.”

Iwaizumi chose to ignore the way Hanamaki’s eyebrows quirked upward, almost accusatory as he questioned him. “Then what is it?”

“I just don’t want to lose,” Iwaizumi said before rewording the statement as he rubbed his forehead. “I can’t afford to lose.”

“Sounds like desperation to me.”

“I-”

Hanamaki interrupted him and waved him off. “I already said you don’t have to explain yourself. And if you’re worried about getting in trouble for fraternizing with the enemy-”

Iwaizumi cringed at the word choice. “I’m not fraternizing.”

“I won’t tell. Whatever it is, it’s a secret. Do what you need to.”

Iwaizumi took a deep breath. He was choosing to believe his friend and get rid of the stress that lack of trust would cause. It just wasn’t worth it. “You can’t even tell Matsukawa.”

“I already texted him about it but the secret is safe between us three. Guaranteed.”

Iwaizumi didn’t even want to know how and when he managed to pass the information on in such a short amount of time, especially since Iwaizumi hadn’t even seen Hanamaki’s phone. Hanamaki simply smiled, moving to stand before Matsukawa appeared in the door.

“Iwaizumi! You could have asked me for help if you wanted it.”

They were both such a pain in Iwaizumi’s ass. “I didn’t want it. And come inside before everyone in the hall hears you.”

He frowned but Iwaizumi knew it was all for show as he closed the door behind him. “Then why did you ask Oikawa?”

“Lower your voice.”

Hanamaki looked at his best friend, smiling. “He said Oikawa is the best so why would he not ask him for help.”

Matsukawa’s face contorted as he tried to repress laughter. “This is too good.”

“You’re twisting my words. He  _ offered.  _ I did not approach Oikawa Tooru and  _ ask.  _ He said he would help me out and I took him up on it,” Iwaizumi explained frivolously. “Against better judgment, might I add.”

“Okay, fine. We’ll just drop it for now,” Hanamaki threw his hands up in surrender like the  _ for now  _ didn’t hang between them with heavy implications. 

Matsukawa leaned against the wall behind Hanamaki, crossing his arms and smiling at Iwaizumi. “We’re getting drinks tonight after work if you want to come. We need to unwind after coming in on a Saturday.”

“Can’t,” Iwaizumi replied. “I have to work on the Ito case.”

Hanamaki rolled his eyes. “Take a break. It’ll still be there to distract you from a hangover in the morning.”

“I would but I already told Oikawa he could head over after I leave the office.”

The two others stared at him before Hanamaki spoke. “Wait a minute. You’re telling me, you not only took Oikawa up on his offer to help you, but you’re also going to willingly meet with him  _ multiple times  _ under the ruse of him helping out for a case.”

“Oh, this is rich,” Matsukawa smirked.

“It’s not a ruse, you assholes. Matsukawa, you saw the shit I’m dealing with. And Hanamaki, you already said you would have done the same thing. Leave me alone.”

They did in fact leave him alone which pleased Iwaizumi to no end. He already hated thinking about how closely he was going to be working with the person he hated the most. Last night led him to believe that it wouldn’t be  _ terrible  _ since Oikawa was more focused on work than anything else. The snarky comments were few and far between when he was outside of the courtroom and had an objective that wasn’t terrorizing Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi only hoped that the next few nights would be similar.

☀/☾

Oikawa arrived at seven that night. He insisted that he would have been there earlier but he had to eat. Iwaizumi didn’t really care when he showed up. Truthfully, he could have shown up two hours later if it meant Iwaizumi would spend two hours less with him.

Oikawa walked straight into Iwaizumi’s apartment and picked up a stack. He showed the papers to Iwaizumi, a smirk growing on his lips. “I did some research today about this cute little show Ito Studios produced.”

“I’m assuming that’s the budget and revenue for the said show?”

He nodded happily. “I think this is your ticket to win. It’s obvious that some numbers were altered in some shape or form. None of the papers surrounding the project had any consistency, which could end up working to your benefit since so far, none of it is contradictory. At least not for you. I had a hard time trying to find a way to defend those numbers.”

Iwaizumi walked over, looking at the project summary Oikawa handed him.  _ Paper Trails.  _ How ironic. He sighed. “So what? I center my whole case around this one show? I don’t feel super confident about that.”

“No. Don’t do that by any means. I  _ am _ saying it’s a start. If there’s one, there could easily be others just like this.”

“Okay. I’ll focus on this one for now. I’ll go through it and see if there are any similarities to the other productions I’ve reviewed.”

“I’m starting to get excited,” Oikawa said, smirk transforming into a wide smile. His fingers twitched as he sorted through more papers, enthusiasm as clear as day. Iwaizumi wished he had that same passion. That passion was how Oikawa had gotten so far ahead. “Are these all the projects the younger brother oversaw?”

“That’s what Shimeru told me the other day. He said he was working on gathering the rest from a couple of years back as well.”

“And Shimeru is the older brother?”

“Right.”

Oikawa sat and nodded. Iwaizumi found that he did that a lot, sitting and considering and weighing information. Oikawa looked up again, fingers drumming on his knee. “Have you talked to Ito about any of this or just the son?”

“I have a meeting with them both on Tuesday. Why?”

“Shimeru interests me.” Oikawa’s shoulders slacked, concentrated expression fading into his typical resting cocky asshole expression. “I wish I could question him myself.”

“Write down anything you want me to ask and I’ll see if I can get to it,” Iwaizumi offered, presenting an air of nonchalance while he set up a trap. He really just wanted Oikawa’s questions so he could attempt to follow the other’s train of thought. Oikawa insisted that he shouldn’t share his speculations until he was certain of them. It was respectable and professional, but it pissed Iwaizumi off. He wanted a trail to follow, not to just wander around in a field, hoping to find a worn-down path.

“That would be helpful. Thank you.”

Oikawa studied him for a moment and Iwaizumi felt uncomfortable under the weight of his gaze, shifting in his seat. He chose to change the subject in hopes of shifting the focus off him. “Do you want me to switch to creating piles for projects instead of how I was doing it before?”

“I think that might be the best way to approach it,” Oikawa said. Iwaizumi hoped that was the end of it but Oikawa’s stare continued.

“Is something wrong?”

He was such a coy mother fucker with the way he slouched so casually on the couch, confidence radiating from his every pore. It pissed Iwaizumi off but mostly because no matter how hard he tried, he could never seem as utterly unbothered as Oikawa Tooru. Oikawa’s smile burned into Iwaizumi’s skin, making him itch as Oikawa’s cocky words dripped from his lips. “No, not at all. I’m just observing. You weren’t what I expected.”

“And what were you expecting?”

“A stubborn brute,” Oikawa replied honestly with a simple shrug. “What were you expecting?”

“A pompous asshole. Except, that’s exactly what I got.”

Oikawa’s lips fell open in shock. “Mean, Iwa-chan.”

It was Iwaizumi’s turn to smirk, drinking in Oikawa’s surprise that there was someone out there who was immune to his charms. He thought he would throw him a small compliment though it might be slightly backhanded. “You’re much quicker than I thought you would be though.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that I was under the impression you depended heavily on your charisma to get you through court. Now I know you actually probably have a damn good case to back it up.” 

Seeing the way Oikawa worked was almost like magic. He was meticulous without being slow, observant without getting caught up in the details. Enthusiastic without becoming sloppy. He was the ideal attorney in so many ways. It was one thing to know he had influence in the courtroom because of personality, but another to know that even without it, Oikawa would still probably be a top attorney.

Oikawa simply smiled. “A pretty face can get you far, but it can’t get you to the top of your class at University of Tokyo’s law school.”

Iwaizumi shouldn’t have been surprised by Oikawa's alma mater, but he truly didn’t expect for him to have come from such a prestigious university, though it did explain the pompous attitude. “You graduated from Tokyo?”

“Of course! I had to go to the best school in Japan!”

“If you wanted the best then you would have gone to Nagoya,” Iwaizumi replied, hoping he came off as unimpressed as he attempted to sound.

Oikawa hummed. “Debatable. Where did you go?”

“Nagoya.”

He laughed, head thrown back to rest against the back of the couch. He was pretty like that when he wasn’t giving too much thought to his appearance. Oikawa sighed lightly, cutting an end to the light giggles that still threatened to spill. “Maybe you are stubborn.”

Iwaizumi simply smirked and turned his attention to the case. All the papers had been sorted through, but now that they were changing their strategy, he would be spending a bit of time reorganizing. The good thing was that he could really look at each document during the process, easing up Oikawa’s load and giving a better insight into what he could use and what the defense might battle him with. 

He was depending on the meeting with the Ito’s on Tuesday with witnesses coming in and out for the rest of the week. A good witness on his side could save the entire ship despite the fact that it currently seemed like it was sinking. Things that seemed foggy now could clear up with a good statement from a fellow employee, an explanation to the disorganization that seemed to be all of Ito’s paperwork.

When he looked up, he watched Oikawa look over his stack of papers with such care that he could only imagine the way the man handled his own cases. Iwaizumi was quickly learning that Oikawa gave his everything in anything he did, which was admirable despite the fact that the rest of his personality was atrocious.

It was another night without much talking once they truly started working, but it wasn’t like Iwaizumi minded it. He wasn’t exactly sure how to talk to Oikawa Tooru. Without the thick air of competition fueling the conversation, Iwaizumi was left unsure of what to even say. He wasn’t the most social person and he realized that but he had never really struggled to talk to someone before.

Oikawa seemed unbothered by the silence which was surprising to Iwaizumi. In the court, he seemed like the type to talk plenty. Iwaizumi wondered if he was truly just that involved in the paperwork or if he was also unsure of what to say. Iwaizumi doubted it was the latter. How could someone with as much confidence and charm as Oikawa be unable to speak to someone he didn’t know.

“Need something?” Oikawa asked, not looking up. It was quickly becoming Iwaizumi’s least favorite thing Oikawa did.

Iwaizumi simply grunted and turned his attention away. For tonight, he would continue to sit in silence.

☀/☾

The two cups of coffee weren’t enough to wake Iwaizumi up. It also had a horrible effect on his nerves, his leg jumping under the table on Tuesday morning as he waited for the Ito’s to join him in the conference room. Oikawa’s list of questions burned in his pocket though they weighed just as heavy in his mind, having memorized them the night before. 

Iwaizumi had been an attorney long enough to get stressed out by a simple client meeting. This case was just different. Different because the entire entertainment industry had their eyes on the case. Different because he, begrudgingly, had Oikawa Tooru at his side. Different because his boss didn’t seem to be open to a loss of this magnitude.

Ito Shimero entered the room first, a bright smile lighting up the space. He strolled in and shook Iwaizumi’s hand. Iwaizumi had only spoken with Shimeru over the phone so far so this was the first time he was meeting him in person. He was handsome and had a friendly expression with his hair pushed out of his face. He had the natural charisma of a businessman and the funding to be a damn good one.

“Thanks for meeting with me today,” he said as he sat in the chair in front of Iwaizumi.

“Thank you for coming in. We can get started as soon as your father joins us, but until then, do you have any questions for me?”

“He actually won’t be able to make it today. Got caught up with a new project since Tojiro isn’t really available right now.”

This was far from ideal Iwaizumi had to admit. Ito would, hopefully, be a fairly neutral party considering this  _ is  _ one of his sons he’s accusing. To only have Shimeru could lead to an extremely biased conversation just from what he knew about sibling relationships. He forced himself not to dwell on it too long, knowing that there was plenty of information he could still gain, he just had to be in the correct state of mind.

“Of course,” he smiled. “We will proceed then.”

Iwaizumi immediately led into his updates on the case, filling in Shimeru the best he could. He gave his projected timeline for a completed review as well as the likelihood of him being able to actually accept the case. Shimeru quickly offered to bring more paperwork which was a relief, but also a burden. Iwaizumi didn’t think there could possibly be any more information to go over. He also didn’t exactly want to sort through anything else. 

Iwaizumi felt paper crumble in his pocket as he crossed his legs. “Shimeru-san, I’m actually glad you came in today. I have a few questions for you.”

He smiled brightly. “I’m happy to help. Anything to get this all sorted out.”

Iwaizumi wasn’t actually sure why Oikawa wanted to ask the questions he did. He didn’t give any explanation and Iwaizumi didn’t have the energy to ask him to explain. Instead of thinking too hard about it, he asked the first question. “How long have you been working with your father’s company? I noticed your brother has only been with the company for about five years. Almost six?”

“That’s correct,” Shimeru confirmed, nodding with a small smile. “I’ve worked with my father for about ten years but only started overseeing projects about six years ago.”

Only a year gap between the two, technically. Shimeru could have had a huge head start to get established, yet he remained at a lower level position. “Why was that? The delay I mean. According to the paperwork I had, your brother took projects right away.”

“I wanted to ensure I was confident in my abilities before I agreed to take on such a responsibility. I knew I would always have a place in the company so I wasn’t too concerned about immediately getting involved.”

“I see. What did you do in the company before overseeing shows?”

“I helped with financing.”

Iwaizumi wished Ito was here to confirm what his son was saying, but instead he just had to take his word and ask later. He did think the previous position was interesting for a multitude of reasons though he didn’t really have the time to unpack it fully. “Explains how you caught on to your brother’s mistakes.”

“I wouldn’t say they’re mistakes, Iwaizumi-san,” Shimeru said, his voice sharp like a knife as his eyes bore into where Iwaizumi sat. “His actions were very intentional.”

Iwaizumi raised an eyebrow. “You feel confident in that?”

“Yes. He is my brother after all.”

Iwaizumi nodded before moving on. He altered one of Oikawa’s questions to get an answer he was more interested in at the moment. “Has he always had an issue of jealousy? Could that explain his desire to rush in instead of learning the ropes first, as you did?”

“We’ve always been competitive. Especially for our father’s attention. That’s what happens when you’re two boys growing up in the environment we did.”

The environment, Iwaizumi assumed, was the two of them with little attention from their parents. If that were the case, time with their father was highly coveted and not easily obtained. Creating that desire for approval so early on was extremely unhealthy, but not uncommon in the households of workaholics. 

“Right. Well, I think that’s all I wanted to know. If you could just drop by those new documents when you get a chance, I would really appreciate it. Maybe it can speed the process along.”

“Take all the time you need. My father doesn’t care about the timeline as long as we come out on top.”

Iwaizumi escorted him to the elevator, making pleasant small talk as he waited for the elevator to reach the floor. After he said goodbye to Shimeru, he pulled his phone out and shot a quick text to Oikawa.

_ Call me when you get a chance. _

Oikawa didn’t answer. Instead, as Iwaizumi was walking back to his office, his phone rang in his hand. He closed the door behind him and dropped into his desk chair.

“Miss me already?” Oikawa asked as soon as Iwaizumi answered the phone.

Iwaizumi let out a huff, leaning on the desk with his elbow. “No, moron. I just met with Ito’s oldest.”

“Did you get a chance to ask him anything?”

Oikawa didn’t care about just  _ anything.  _ He wanted to know about his questions specifically. Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. “Everything you wanted. There wasn’t anything too crazy. He just said he did financing before working as a project head.”

“A numbers man. Interesting.”

Iwaizumi looked up and found Matsukawa at the door and waved him in before rubbing his forehead. “It just… I don’t know.”

“What, Iwa-chan?” Oikawa asked, clearly waiting for Iwaizumi to elaborate on his thoughts a bit further.

“If he did financing for so long, why did it take him six years to catch on to the issue with his brother?” It was the question that had been nudging at his gut the whole time. He would have asked the client, but he didn’t want to lose the case when he was finally starting to make progress.

“That’s what I was wondering. Doesn’t sit right, does it?”

“Not really, no.”

Iwaizumi could almost picture the light smile on Oikawa’s face as he spoke. “Maybe it didn’t start until recently and Shimeru was just waiting for enough evidence to turn his father against his brother.”

“It’s possible,” Iwaizumi affirmed. “He said they’ve always been competitive. Then told me he knew Tojiro’s actions were intentional because he knew his brother.”

“Sounds to me like he doesn’t trust him,” Oikawa sang. Iwaizumi heard a car honking before Oikawa said a quiet  _ Oops, sorry! _

He chose to ignore what was Oikawa potentially just running out into the street in front of a car and turned back to the origin of his curiosity, wishing the other could witness how hard he was rolling his eyes. “I just wonder how long this has actually been going on. We’ll have to wait for the older case projects to arrive, I guess.”

Maybe he could get Oikawa to sort through all the new paperwork so he wouldn’t have to. If he was going to have an extra set of hands, he might as well put them to work.

“What did Daddy Ito say about all of this?” Oikawa asked.

“Wasn’t there,” Iwaizumi told him as he slouched back in his chair, elbow resting on the arm as his hand held his face.

Oikawa hummed. “Odd considering he’s leading the lawsuit.”

“Yeah. I agree.”

“I’ll probably come by tonight. I want to talk more about this but I’m meeting one of my juniors from work. He’s mad I bailed as his mentor by taking an extended vacation so being the saint I am, I agreed to coffee.”

“Yes, of course. The modern-day Theresa. How’d you even get all this time off anyway?”

“What do you mean? I’m Oikawa Tooru.”

“And  _ I’m _ hanging up.” He replied, taking the phone from his ear as Oikawa booed him. When he set the phone down, he looked up just to find Matsukawa staring at him. 

He leaned against the wall by Iwaizumi’s desk, looking almost unnerved by whatever he had just witnessed. “If that was Oikawa, that was… uncomfortably comfortable.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Iwaizumi replied quickly. “What are we getting for lunch?”

☀/☾

Oikawa sat on his couch that night, coffee in hand despite the late hour. The papers were sorted neatly on the floor, untouched thus far. It seemed like mostly Oikawa just wanted to talk things through. Iwaizumi appreciated it since it seemed like his mind had become a garbled mess ever since Shimeru left. Plus, despite all the time they had spent working together, there wasn’t much communication regarding the state of the case or ideas about the situation.

Iwaizumi took the opportunity to fill Oikawa in on the rest of the meeting with the oldest Ito son. The other listened diligently, just like he always did, nodding slowly as he processed the information offered to him. 

“Where’s your head at?” Iwaizumi asked when he finished, wanting to know if Oikawa’s thought process was the same.

He took a long sip from his cup. “There are two options here, but it’ll all depend on whatever is in the box that Shimeru brings you later.”

“What are they?”

Oikawa shrugged. “Either he did it or he was framed.”

Straight forward options. Two he had already figured out for himself given the information he had received so far. “Who framed him, Mr. Defense?”

“Could have been anyone. Underling that hates nepotism in large corporations, older brother with an inferiority complex, a father that’s never trusted his son to actually lead the business.”

“And you think it’s…”

“The brother,” Oikawa answered quickly, eyes meeting Iwaizumi’s in an intense stare. “Based on your conversation with him and the fact that Daddy Ito wasn’t there. That gives me too much ammo when I think I know where to point the gun.”

“This is what I was scared of,” Iwaizumi groaned, hand rubbing his face. Framing would typically be okay because he would just refuse to take the case. However, with the person in question, Iwaizumi didn’t know how he would be able to convince Ito to drop the case altogether and turn against his oldest. Someone greedier than him would agree to take it on just to lose and bring the entire reputation of Ito’s company down for a quick buck.

Oikawa watched him carefully, brows in the slightest furrow. It was as if he was trying to figure out anything that could be reassuring. “If the numbers started going crazy within the last year or two, he did it. If it’s been going on this whole time, it’s a pretty straight forward case of framing, but you could have figured that one out. I just feel like the finance department and Helicopter Brother would have never let something like that go on for so long.”

“We’ll figure it out.”

A smirk appeared on the defense attorney’s face as he relaxed. “I like it when you’re confident.”

“Rare to get a compliment from you,” Iwaizumi snorted, slouching in the chair slightly.

“My being here is a compliment. Don’t forget that.”

“Yeah, yeah. Your presence is a gift, oh almighty Oikawa. The legal world bows in your presence.”

Oikawa laughed, short but genuine. “I’m so glad you recognize that. Ready to get to work?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm having so much fun with this story so far. I'm gonna try my best to keep the update schedule consistent but I'm also working on two other stories at the moment so we'll see what ends up happening lol
> 
> twitter: prettyboitooru


	3. superfluous quality time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> oikawa invites himself over much to iwaizumi's dismay

This Saturday meant a day off. He usually ended up working the weekend away whether in his office or his apartment. This week, however, he promised himself he wouldn’t work this single day as some form of mental reprieve. Iwaizumi didn’t necessarily deserve a day off but after working with Oikawa a total of four nights in a week period and somehow making little to no progress, he gave himself some grace. The grand king of the courtroom was struggling. It was okay that he was too.

He replied to a few emails and allowed himself to sink into the couch and close his eyes. The entire night would be his to do nothing since he declined an invite from Hanamaki and Matsukawa to have a movie night and drink until they didn’t even remember which movie they decided to watch. While the alcohol portion sounded appealing, leaving the comfort of his home really didn’t. 

Oikawa was draining, to say the least. Even sitting in silence seemed to take energy with Oikawa’s flamboyant and exuberant personality. Today was a needed reprieve. Iwaizumi sighed happily as he curled up with a blanket. He had always been more of an introvert. It was to the extent that he questioned becoming a lawyer all throughout his undergraduate studies, knowing that his precious personal time would take a hit. It wasn’t until he got to law school that he truly felt confident about his decision. It was nice to be able to use his time on something that would be productive. He was also beyond pleased to find that he could spend many work hours alone, using the excuse of needing to focus.

His pride had certainly taken a hit when he asked for help, but he hadn’t expected his energy to be gone after spending so much time with someone he couldn't care less about. He was starting to wonder if his attention span was also affected as well. When he worked in the office, he could sort through information diligently, but the second he and Oikawa got together, he was too distracted by Oikawa’s presence. He found himself watching Oikawa instead of studying his own papers. Or wanting to ask for updates because he actually cared about his input. It confused Iwaizumi more than he would ever admit out loud.

A knock forced his eyes open rather regretfully as he pried himself away from the couch. He swore under his breath the entire walk to the entrance of his apartment. As he opened the door, he bellowed, “You will not be able to drag me out of my apartment.”

An airy laugh forced him to look up at the person who was not Matsukawa or Hanamaki though he would much rather it be them right about now. “You sound very determined.”

“Oikawa,” Iwaizumi coughed, looking up with wide eyes. “I didn’t think we were meeting today.”

Oikawa’s smile was blinding. “We aren’t, technically. Cute pajamas, Iwa-chan.”

Iwaizumi looked down at his attire and grimaced. Answering the door shirtless and in pajama pants he got for Christmas in high school wouldn’t have been a big deal if it was who he was expecting. Of course, the bottoms he chose for his lazy day in were the ones covered in tiny little dogs that looked like the one he grew up with as a kid. This was less than ideal in every way possible.

Rubbing his forehead, he sighed. “Why are you here?”

“You’re not going to even let me in?”

Iwaizumi reluctantly moved to the side as Oikawa pushed his way in. He was dressed in gray slacks and a tight black turtleneck sweater which was coming more and more into view as he slid the tan coat off his shoulders. Iwaizumi wanted to hate the way the fabric hugged the curve of Oikawa’s muscles but he just couldn’t. He forced his eyes away before Oikawa could catch him, not wanting to hear whatever snarky comment the other might come up with.

Iwaizumi ran a hand through his tangled hair and sighed. “Can you tell me why you’re here now?”

“Am I not allowed to visit my good friend Iwa-chan?” He pouted as he crossed his arms over his chest. 

Iwaizumi laughed lightly before realizing that Oikawa was being serious. “I mean, I wouldn’t exactly say we’re friends.”

“And I’m here to change that.”

“Why?”

“It’s too quiet when we work. I don’t like working in silence.”

In the few times that Iwaizumi had worked in the same space as Oikawa, there was never any real attempt at conversation being made. He never minded it but was truthfully caught off guard by Oikawa’s seemingly quiet nature. To find out that it wasn’t desirable for the defense attorney was more in line with the idea he had in his mind. It didn’t change the fact that he was just a bit surprised at the confession. “Could have fooled me.”

“It’s because you’re intimidating, Iwa-chan. Plus, I had a feeling you wouldn’t spill your deepest darkest secrets if there’s work in front of you so I didn’t really try.”

Iwaizumi rubbed the back of his neck. What was Oikawa wanting out of all of this? He was under the impression he was receiving help, not a new attachment to his hip. “I wouldn’t do that anyway…”

“Well not in the current state of our relationship!”

“So, what? This is a get to know each other session?”

He nodded excitedly. “I ordered food. It should be getting here any moment. I also suggest we watch a movie as a fun conversation starter.”

Iwaizumi considered his options just to realize he didn’t think he had any. His knowledge of Oikawa Tooru was limited, but it was easy to assume that once he made up his mind, there would be no changing it. “I’m guessing I can’t kick you out?”

“That wouldn’t be very nice after I bought you food and planned a fun-filled evening.”

“Who’s it fun for?”

“Me, of course! Now go get changed. You’re making me feel overdressed.”

“You can’t just invite yourself over and then boss me around, Shittykawa.”

“That’s a cute nickname,” Oikawa laughed before pressing two hands on Iwaizumi’s back and began pushing him in the direction of his bedroom. “Get dressed, though. Seriously.”

He spent more time in his bedroom than was truly necessary since he had jeans and a sweater on within two minutes. However, he didn’t mind making the nuisance in his living room wait just a moment longer. 

_ Who just comes over uninvited with no form of a warning?  _ Iwaizumi thought to himself as he tugged on the neck of his sweater, stretching it out slightly to allow for more breathing room. He bit back grumbles as he walked back out to the living room, doing his best to present a friendly front for a reason that was unbeknownst to him.

What did he care if Oikawa thought he was impolite? He didn’t owe the man anything. If anything, Oikawa was the one who was rude, inviting himself over like he did. Oikawa could walk out right now and never return and Iwaizumi wouldn’t mind at all. Losing the help would sting for a bit but Hanamaki and Matsukawa would jump in if things got too out of hand. 

Despite all of the conscious parts of his mind telling him to kick the intruder out, his subconscious pushed him to the couch to sit next to him. “What movie are we watching?”

“Prometheus.”

The name sounded familiar. “The Alien movie?”

“It’s an unofficial prequel. I have yet to decide if it deserves to be included in the franchise.”

Iwaizumi was pretty sure it was confirmed to be part of the series. Not that he really knew anything about the movies. “I thought-”

“Nothing is official until I confirm it, Iwa-chan.”

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. This was a battle that he knew he wouldn’t win and he could tell by the way Oikawa was peering at him from the corner of his eye. Instead, he crossed his arms and slumped into the couch as Oikawa turned on the TV and went through a few streaming sites until he found what he was looking for. Oikawa rattled on about how he spent his day, sharing details about errands that Iwaizumi couldn’t bring himself to care about. He pretended to listen and Oikawa seemed to buy into the act just fine, not bothering to stop talking to even take a breath.

The way Oikawa was navigating through Iwaizumi’s TV, walking in uninvited, ordering food to the apartment, and throwing his feet up on the coffee table was truly grating on Iwaizumi’s nerves. He had visited less than a handful of times and was acting as if he owned the place. Iwaizumi was once again tempted by the idea to throw him out on his ass and tell him to make sure he gets hit by a car on his way home.

He should have never asked for help.

Just as he was about to express the extent of his displeasure, the doorbell rang and Oikawa hopped up with a huge smile on his face. Iwaizumi grunted, mostly to himself seeing as his unwanted guest was now in the entryway grabbing the food. He thought about texting Hanamaki, but he didn’t really want to deal with the snarky remarks about how it was so funny he declined an invite and now Oikawa was at his apartment.

“I didn’t know what you wanted, so I just got you whatever I ordered.”

Iwaizumi sighed. He didn’t really trust Oikawa to pick out food for the both of them but he definitely wasn’t sure if it was safe to consume whatever Oikawa typically did. He tried to figure out where the bag was from just to recognize the label for a Chinese restaurant by Oikawa’s firm. “It’s crazy because if you would have just  _ called,  _ then you could have asked.”

“But then it wouldn’t have been a surprise!”

“Have you ever considered that some people don’t like surprises?”

Oikawa laughed lightly. “Yes. I knew you wouldn’t particularly care for it seeing as you’re not very fun, Iwa-chan. I just thought this would be good for you.”

He pulled the takeout boxes from the bag and placed them in his lap, not offering either one of them to Iwaizumi.

“Just hand me the food,” Iwaizumi muttered as he reached over the space between them on the couch. 

Oikawa moved the boxes out of his reach. “Only if I can have your bean sprouts.”

“Fine. If there are mushrooms, I get them, then.”

Oikawa agreed, handing the box to Iwaizumi before opening his own and sorting through his entrée. “Wow. We’re quite the pair. I hate mushrooms.”

“I don’t hate bean sprouts.”

Oikawa smirked as he dropped all his mushrooms into Iwaizumi’s meal before picking through it to find what it was that he wanted. “Shocking since it seems like you hate everything.”

“Not everything,” Iwaizumi replied. “Just you.”

“Mean, Iwa-chan!”

“Start the movie. You’re talking too much,” Iwaizumi muttered, rolling his eyes.

Oikawa picked up the remote and started the movie with a pout that Iwaizumi figured was mostly for show. The sound of the intro boomed through Iwaizumi’s apartment since Oikawa insisted it be on a ridiculously high volume in order to  _ get the full effect  _ or whatever it was he said before the audio cut him off. Oikawa made little comments throughout the first half of the movie which either received a grunt in response or nothing at all.

The movie wasn’t necessarily bad, it just wasn’t one Iwaizumi would pick on his own. Oikawa, on the other hand, seemed entirely immersed by the scenes on the screen which Iwaizumi was having a hard time following due to the fact that he kept turning to watch Oikawa’s reactions instead of actually paying attention. It was wildly more entertaining than the movie he had absolutely no interest in.

“You’re such pleasant company,” Oikawa mumbled, clearly unamused by the fact that Iwaizumi had yet to join in on any of his commentaries.

Iwaizumi nodded towards the entryway. “The doors over there if you want to leave.”

He didn’t answer. The only response Iwaizumi received was a shake of a head and a throaty laugh. “I don’t give up that easily. Especially now that I know you do, in fact, hear me when I speak.”

“It’s selective. I only responded because I saw a way out of this quality time.” Iwaizumi put air quotes around  _ quality time  _ to further drive home his, now feigned, annoyance with the situation.

“You’re going to enjoy my company one of these days. Just wait.”

“If you wait too long for that, you’ll go gray, Shittykawa.”

Oikawa slumped against the couch, letting out a small  _ hmph  _ before sitting up again and turning to face Iwaizumi with an excited smile. “What do you do for fun?”

“Watch paint dry,” Iwaizumi responded plainly, not looking at the man next to him. He was suddenly very interested in this stupid movie.

“What color paint is your favorite, then?”

The most boring answer he could give could be his ticket to this conversation ending. “White.”

Oikawa hummed as his brows furrowed. “I think I would personally prefer a color that’s bright and slightly different when it’s wet so I can actually  _ watch _ it dry.”

Iwaizumi turned his head slightly, peering at Oikawa. “I know you’re not making conversation out of drying paint.”

“I’m showing interest in your hobbies, Iwa-chan,” he replied sweetly, eyes crinkling in the corners as he smiled.

“Are you always like this?”

“Only with people that don’t like me.”

Iwaizumi sighed as he rubbed his face. This was more effort than he would ever put forth to get someone to like him. Especially someone that had already decided they  _ didn’t _ like him. “I’m creating a support group for all of us.”

“It would be awfully lonely seeing as it’s only you,” Oikawa defended with such surety.

“I don’t believe that. I bet Ushijima would join.”

“Low blow!”

Iwaizumi couldn’t help himself. He laughed, eyes screwing shut at the sight of Oikawa’s face.

Oikawa simply let out a huff, unamused by the whole thing. “Seriously. Do you actually have any hobbies, Iwa-chan? Or do you have the personality of a cardboard box?”

Truthfully, Iwaizumi didn’t exactly have time for hobbies between work and his desire to have a somewhat decent sleep schedule. He would go out with Hanamaki and Matsukawa every now and then when they pushed hard enough, but those times were becoming few and far between with all three of their caseloads growing every day. He didn’t want to tell Oikawa that and get the harassment of a lifetime so he stuck to teasing instead. “Hobbies, huh? Well, now, it’s arguing with you.”

Oikawa rolled his eyes, an action that Iwaizumi didn’t think could be as dramatic if anyone else were to do it. “You’re intolerable.”

“Good. Maybe you’ll think twice before doing whatever  _ this _ is again.” Iwaizumi used his finger to gesture between the two of them.

“Probably won’t. Think twice, I mean,” Oikawa clarified, holding a pillow to his chest as he nestled into the couch. “I learned a lot about you tonight and that was the whole point. I’d call it a successful evening.”

All the two did was eat and watch a movie. Iwaizumi never would have thought that would be enough to analyze someone, but he also forgot that he was sitting next to someone who was as observant and detail-oriented as Oikawa Tooru. He sighed, resting his elbow on the arm of the couch and leaning away from Oikawa’s prying gaze. He refused to have the other pick up any more information that Iwaizumi wasn’t willing to just offer up himself.

So, he chose not to answer and instead turned his attention to his phone and tried to ignore the man next to him.

“Should we dissect why you’re uncomfortable with vulnerability, Iwa-chan?”

“Absolutely not. Finish your movie.”

Oikawa did, somehow, by the grace of God, finish the movie and eventually take his leave. Iwaizumi hated the way he felt strangely refreshed.

☀/☾

Iwaizumi found himself back at the bar the next night, not having had time to visit at all the previous week with his workload and his frequent guest. The cigarette hung from his lips as smoke billowed in front of him, adding to the haze that already perpetually filled the bar. The whiskey in front of him remained mostly untouched due to the fact that while Iwaizumi was physically present, he had been staring at the top shelf of liquor for what could have been thirty seconds or two hours. The only thing that shook him from his trance was a slam on the bartop and the sight of monstrous bed head.

“Thought you quit the cigs,” Kuroo hummed, watching Iwaizumi pull the stick slowly from his mouth.

Iwaizumi shrugged. He dragged the untouched pack out and slipped it into his pocket before heading over here. It was nice to feel the smoke in his lungs all over again. He wished it wasn’t so satisfying, but it did its job of taking off the edge. “Desperate times.”

“Tough case?” Kuroo asked, prepping a drink for some man down the bar. 

“With some added drama.”

Kuroo smiled knowingly, leaning against the bar after sliding the glass to the man. He was more than used to Iwaizumi’s frustrated tangents and usually made himself comfortable to listen to the whole thing, ignoring his customers to a certain extent. “He who shall not be named?”

“You guessed it,” Iwaizumi mumbled as he put out the cigarette and picked up the whiskey.

“You go up against him too much. You had to have pissed Fate off in another lifetime.”

He wished it were that simple. He wished he could just rectify his wrongs in this life to spare the next him from the torture he’s endured. “Oh no, Kuroo. It’s even worse.”

“Worse than squaring up with him? Is that possible?”

_ Was it possible?  _ Iwaizumi would have never thought so but after this week he realized there was plenty worse than facing him in court. “He was at my house last night. He’s been at my house every night the past week except two.”

“The fuck?”

“We’re working together,” Iwaizumi explained, taking a long sip of whiskey and wincing. “I don’t know how or why but I somehow ended up a charity case for the one and only Oikawa Tooru.”

Kuroo stared for a moment, processing what Iwaizumi had just told him. He squinted slightly before eyeing the glass in Iwaizumi’s hand. “Okay, how many of these have you had? You sound delusional.”

“That’s my first. This is, unfortunately, my reality now,” Iwaizumi laughed, the sound dripping with self-pity.

“I’m sorry, man. This has got to be your worst nightmare.”

“You know what pisses me off the most?”

Kuroo waited for the response, brows furrowed and eyes studying him.

Iwaizumi tried to figure out how to word what was going on in his mind. He didn’t hate Oikawa’s company. He wasn’t even sure he could say he minded it the first time they worked together, either. Oikawa was… Oikawa was complicated. He was Iwaizumi’s biggest competitor. Iwaizumi was supposed to despise him but he was finding that while he didn’t like him, he didn’t exactly  _ dislike  _ him anymore either. He had grown newfound respect for him at the very least. There was something about watching him work that seemed to change the way Iwaizumi saw him. 

“He isn’t even that bad,” Iwaizumi admitted regretfully.

The shock on Kuroo’s face was undeniable. “So, if that’s your first drink, what was in the cigarette? It wasn’t a cigarette, was it?”

Iwaizumi ignored him. “No. I mean he’s… he’s still him. He’s just so helpful, it’s stupid. I hate him for that, at least.”

“So you don’t really hate him.”

“I said he’s still him,” Iwaizumi repeated, not willing to acknowledge the shift that was currently occurring. “He’s still arrogant and self-absorbed, he’s just also smart. He’s pretty fun to pick on, too. That can be entertaining.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I would think you were starting to enjoy yourself.”

Iwiazumi’s lips curled down as he pushed himself up off the stool, wrapping his coat around himself and slapping a few bills on the bartop. “Don’t get ahead here. I said he’s not that bad, not that this is my new best friend.”

“Sure, Iwaizumi. Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

“Fuck you. I’m never coming back,” Iwaizumi called over his shoulder as he walked out of the bar. It was an empty threat, but he yelled it with confidence anyway.

“I’ll see you in three days.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woohooo i did not think i was going to have this chapter ready today so I'm glad inspiration struck last minute. I'm really excited for the next chapters now that some groundwork has been laid!!!!!!!


	4. feeling human

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> iwaizumi faces some unwelcomed insecurites

On Monday after lunch, Iwaizumi returned to find a box on his desk. After walking further into his office he found two more on the floor beside it and one more behind it. So this is everything else Shimeru found? He took a quick picture and sent it to Oikawa with a text saying  _ Take a wild guess what this is. _

He replied instantly, soothing Iwaizumi’s growing frustrations with the situation. He had help. He didn’t have to do this alone. 

_ I’ll be over tonight with some dinner. Text me what you want this time if you don’t want me ordering for you again. _

Matsukawa let out a low whistle as he moved to sit in the chair across from Iwaizumi’s desk. “This is the case that never ends, isn’t it?”

It was supposed to end. He and Oikawa were so close to putting together a case that could at least possibly hold its own in the courtroom. Everything was undoubtedly sped up with two hard-working people investing so much energy. His anxiety still ebbed away at him when he saw the new evidence brought for him. How much more of a mess could this turn into?

“Seems so,” Iwaizumi sighed, moving all the boxes into a single stack in the corner, out of his direct line of sight. “I feel like I’m going to be sorting through things for six more months before I can even think about actually taking the case.”

“And it’s okay if that happens,” Matsukawa told him, the sincerity in his voice making Iwaizumi just slightly uncomfortable. The reassurance was kind, but it teetered too close to pity. It also wasn’t okay. Not to Iwaizumi.

He nodded, doing his best to acknowledge the kindness while also moving away from it. “I know. I just… I don’t know how long Oikawa’s vacation is.”

“He’s helping that much?”

_ Yes. More than I’d like to admit,  _ he thought. Instead, he said, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Is he over every night?”

“No. But, he’s over a lot and I feel like we’re finally making progress. We actually strangely work fairly well together,” the confession came out as a mumble, but Iwiazumi knew his friend heard it loud and clear by the look on his face, eyebrows rising as his lips stretched into a wide grin.

“How sweet,” Matsukawa smiled. The teasing tone didn’t go unnoticed.

“This is strictly work,” Iwiazumi reminded him.

“So you won’t become friends after this?”

“Friends might be a stretch, but I won’t want to hit him in the face every time I see him in court.”

“That’s so mature. I’m proud of your progress.”

Iwaizumi stared at him, unamused. “I’m feeling mocked right now and I don’t appreciate it.”

Matsukawa simply shrugged, not bothering to deny it. “I’m just proud of you for managing to not be all prickly. I feel like I’m watching you grow as a person.”

“Hanamaki doesn’t get all sentimental like this. Where’s he?”

“He’s with Nobuteru-san. New case,” he explained. “And he doesn’t get all sentimental because he’s a thinker, not a feeler. 

“What am I?”

“Come on, Iwaizumi. You’re a thinker. 100%. It’s almost a fault. I don’t even know if you have access to your feelings sometimes.”

“I do,” Iwaizumi defended, not quite sure how to feel about the tightness in his chest. He had emotions. He was fine. “They just… aren’t a priority in this line of work.”

“What an Iwaizumi answer,” Matsukawa laughed. “You know it would be okay to feel every once in a while. You might even learn a thing or two about yourself.”

Iwaizumi looked away, clearing his throat. “I have to get to work. Thanks for getting lunch with me.”

Matsukawa left with a small wave and a smile, not realizing the bomb he had just planted in Iwaizumi’s brain.

☀/☾  
  


Iwaizumi tapped his pen on the arm of his chair, hand raking through his hair just to stop every now and then and give a little tug. The conversation he had with Matsukawa earlier would not leave his mind.  _ It would be okay for you to feel every once and a while  _ echoed around his brain like some shitty pop tune that gets stuck sometimes no matter what he did to try and get it out. He looked up at Oikawa who was humming as he sat with his pen in one hand and a highlighter in another. 

Even when Oikawa worked, his face looked so peaceful. The only indicator that he was concentrating was the way his tongue slightly poked out from the corner of his mouth. The sight of him, so poised and elegant, when Iwaizumi knew how  _ he  _ looked when he worked forced him over the edge. 

“Do you think I think too much?” he asked, not wanting to look up to see Oikawa’s expression.

Immediately, Oikawa responded in his typical smug fashion. “You care what I think?”

“No.”

“Then why did you ask, Iwa-chan?” he pressed, placing his work to the side to lean forward and study Iwaizumi. “Seems to me like you care. Maybe just a smidge.”

Instead of encouraging the game Oikawa was playing, he chose to expose the real issue, hoping that his random burst of honesty would distract the annoying man sitting across from him. “A coworker told me he doesn’t think I feel.”

“You  _ are _ pretty cold.”

“Asshole. I don’t know why I asked,” Iwaizumi mumbled, turning the page and studying a new set of numbers. Oikawa took that as the sign that it was to stop talking. 

Oikawa’s foot tapped on the floor, a tick Iwaizumi found normally went along with Oikawa trying to find the exact words he wanted to say. Sure enough, moments later, he spoke again, breaking the slightly uncomfortable silence that had fallen over them. “Look, I don’t think you’re completely void of emotion. I just don’t think they play a huge part in any of your life and that’s okay.”

“Okay.”

“Insecure?” Oikawa pried, watching Iwaizumi’s reaction.

“No,” he sighed. “I don’t really know how to explain it.”

“You don’t want to be a corporate robot.”

“I guess that’s a good way to say it.”

“That’s normal,” Oikawa reassured him before he squinted at him, making him feel that now familiar feeling similar to being under a microscope. “I never expected you of all people to care about something like that, though.”

“Why not?”

“Because all you are is work, work, work. I come over and you sit and talk about work until my brain feels like it’s melting out of my ears. Even when I came over last weekend, you thought it was about work. It’s like you only have one thing your mind can focus on and it’s these cases.”

Iwaizumi felt the same panging in his chest that he felt after his conversation with Matsukawa. He didn’t know why he cared when he was the one that chose to pursue work as intensely as he does. It still… hurt. It hurt to know that this was all others thought of him. It caused a wave of defensiveness to wash over his tone. “That’s not true.”

“It’s not?” Oikawa asked, voice flat with disbelief. 

“No. I think about other things.”

“Like what?”

What did Iwaizumi think about? Sometimes, if he remembered it was close to a meal, he thought about what to eat. He thought about what would happen if he actually did decide to hang out with Hanamaki and Matsukawa when they offered. He also thought about Oikawa. It wasn’t any more than usual. It was just different. Instead of wondering how he could absolutely destroy the other, he thought about showing him new pieces of evidence and gaining his approval. He thought about how nice it was to not have to stay up until early morning by himself even though Oikawa’s company  _ was  _ subpar. He couldn’t say any of that though.

“I don’t know. I wanted a cat for a bit.”

Oikawa’s face remained expressionless, making it damn near impossible for Iwaizumi to figure out what he was thinking. 

“Iwa-chan,” Oikawa sighed, hand resting on his chest. “I’m afraid you’re a lost cause.”

“I am not.”

“Fine. Prove it to me. Come to a club with me.”

Odd way to prove you had thoughts. Iwaizumi didn’t understand how such a mindless activity would provide an end to the argument, but he chose to play along anyway.

“When?”

“Tonight.”

Iwaizumi laughed. As if he didn’t have a pile of stuff on his desk waiting for him come eight o’clock sharp. “Absolutely not. I have work in the morning.”

“Call in sick.”

Oikawa had officially lost his mind. Iwaizumi had yet to call in sick once. He remembered the time he had the stomach bug and he simply kept a trash can by his desk as he finished processing all the simple cases on his load at that moment. He couldn’t remember the last time he hadn’t been in the office. “I can’t do that.”

“I’m diagnosing you as a workaholic.” Oikawa checked his watch before sighing. “If you’re just going to have tunnel vision, I’m going to go have fun. I can find someone to meet me if it won’t be you.”

He made it all the way to the door, shoes on and jacket slung over his shoulder. For some reason when Oikawa opened the door, fear coursed through Iwaizumi at the idea of him truly walking out of it. He didn’t know why he cared so much about what Oikawa thought of him. He chalked it up to being upset because this whole time he was under the impression Oikawa was just like him. Oikawa was supposed to also slave away, spending hours and hours of overtime on a case until he got it perfect. While he was sure that was true to a certain extent, it seemed that Oikawa was able to walk away sometimes, and yet he was still as successful as he was.

What was the point in spending all his time on work alone when the person he was striving to match didn’t do the same? The one he placed on the pedestal seemed to know enough about himself outside of his job to take an extended vacation and enjoy his time off instead of stress about how to fill the free time. Iwaizumi wouldn’t know what to do if he had even a single day off, much less over a month. Yet Oikawa was glowing, happy to be able to spend time on things other than cases. How could Iwaizumi get to that point?

He sighed, knowing the answer was currently walking out of his door. “Oikawa, wait. I’ll go with you. Just let me get changed.”

Oikawa strolled back into the living room, a proud smile overtaking his face as he rested against the back of the couch. “You’re having a minimum of three drinks. None of your bullshit whiskey that you sip on like some pretentious fucker. I’m talking shots.”

“You’re the devil incarnate.”

“How’d you know?”

☀/☾

Iwaizumi could feel the bass pounding through his entire body before he even set foot in the club. When he walked in, he found a crowd of sweaty people, all jammed together on the dance floor, drinks sloshing as hands were thrown in the air. This was way more than he remembered and he was doing his best not to get overwhelmed. Instead, he set his focus on Oikawa who was making a beeline for the bar.

“I don’t know what this has to do with me proving anything,” Iwaizumi yelled into Oikawa’s ear over the loud music once they had stopped and begun waiting for a bartender. 

“You’re showing me you can do anything besides work for a couple of hours, Iwa-chan.” 

Oikawa swayed lightly to the music, smile wide and eyes filled with amusement as he studied Iwaizumi’s stiff body. Iwaizumi was completely out of his element. He hadn’t been in a night club, since he was 19. This was completely different now that he was in his late twenties and had one of the most important cases of his career sitting on his living room floor. Not to mention, he just felt entirely out of place while Oikawa looked like he could blend right in, his easy nature making him a social chameleon. Iwaizumi belonged in an office or at home. He was made to do work.

“You’re thinking about the Ito case again,” Oikawa interrupted his thoughts with an elbow to the ribs. “Stop.”

“Kinda hard to.”

“Every time I catch you thinking about it, you have to take a shot,” Oikawa sang, mischief filling his eyes. He thought this was a game he could win.

Iwaizumi couldn’t help but laugh. “I can just deny it.”

“Have fun trying. Your eyes always glaze over when you think of that trap of a case. I know now,” Oikawa replied as he waved the bartender down and got another two shots of straight vodka. He handed a small glass to Iwaizumi before clinking his own against it. “Drink up.”

It burned. Not in a pleasant way like his whiskey does. In a way that felt like he just chugged some rubbing alcohol from under his sink in a last-ditch effort to feel something. His face scrunched up as he pushed the tiny glass away and stepped away from the bartop as Oikawa laughed at him and followed behind.

“I hate hangovers. I don’t want to drink too much.”

“Don’t worry, Iwa-chan. I’ll leave you everything you need to survive tomorrow.”

☀/☾

He was four shots in and beginning to feel it given all of them were taken in rather rapid succession. Oikawa was on the dance floor but close enough to the edge that he could observe Iwaizumi and make sure he wasn’t thinking about things he ought not to. It was hard to keep his mind off work at first, but with alcohol in his veins and music threatening to burst his eardrums, he found that watching Oikawa move to the beat was significantly easier. The sight was honestly mesmerizing. 

He looked free with his hands in the air, hips swaying along with whatever song was currently shaking the building. Iwaizumi wondered just for a moment what it felt like to feel that way. He wondered how someone who lived a life so similar to his own could be so wildly different. It felt like he was looking in a mirror just to find his polar opposite staring back at him. It was unnerving, making Iwaizumi feel light-headed in a way he really didn’t like. What was Iwaizumi doing wrong in his life that he couldn’t even imagine what freedom felt like? Suddenly the shackles that he willingly enclosed around his ankles were feeling too heavy. He had suffocated himself for years under the pressure he put on himself. And for what? To forget that he was a human with basic needs? To cease to exist outside of the parameters of his career? Who was he? Who was he outside of being a lawyer?

Oikawa had returned to his side, brow furrowed. He had obviously caught onto the change in Iwaizumi’s demeanor. His hand reached out, rubbing Iwaizumi’s shoulder lightly. “Hey, I’m sorry if I upset you. We don’t have to be here. I just thought-”

Iwaizumi ignored him, cutting him off by turning away and waving the bartender down. He proceeded to order two shots of vodka and quickly downed both of them before Oikawa could grab the one that he probably assumed was for him. After Iwaizumi took a breath, fighting the urge to gag, he turned to the man next to him. “Teach me how to dance.”

Oikawa’s eyes widened. “Okay, sure. Um.” He looked around before taking Iwaizumi’s hand in his and led him to the middle of the room.

Iwaizumi was completely surrounded by people he didn’t know, their sweat remaining on his shirt every time they bumped into him but Iwaizumi couldn’t even bring himself to care. All he was focused on was Oikawa in front of him, giving him reassuring smiles as he tried to move to the beat.

He was bad at dancing. Very bad. Every time he moved it was slightly offbeat and he had no idea what to do with his hands but he was trying. He was doing something besides sitting at his desk or on his floor. He was living in a way he hadn’t in a while. Even though his cheeks were red with embarrassment and he could feel the heat all the way in the tips of his ears, he was happy. Oikawa laughed with him, smile entirely infectious. Iwaizumi felt his own lips turn up as he laughed, genuine and loud and completely natural. He was happy and he was making Oikawa laugh which added another level to the whole experience. It felt good to know he could make someone laugh like that.

God, he was having fun. 

Oikawa’s eyes were filled with something that resembled pride and Iwaizumi secretly hoped it was for him. He hoped so desperately that Oikawa was proud of him. That he saw him for something other than a  _ corporate robot _ . He was human and he wanted Oikawa to see that, to know that, to truly believe that.

Oikawa rested his forehead on Iwaizumi’s shoulder. “Who knew I just had to get you drunk.”

“I should drink more often.”

Oikawa laughed and having the sound right next to Iwaizumi’s ear, clear and just for him, filled him with an entirely different type of intoxication. It was everything Iwaizumi had been missing out on for the past five years of his life. He threw everything away the second he started law school and now he felt like making up for lost time. He wanted to fill in all those lost experiences with Oikawa.

Now he knew he was drunk. In no other state of mind would he think to share anything with Oikawa. He couldn’t help but laugh at the thought. 

“What time is it?” He asked, not really knowing how many minutes had passed since he stepped foot onto the dance floor.

“Late. Why?”

“Just wondering.”

He should care that it’s late but he didn’t. He wanted to stay here all night if he could, forever trapped in this place where he genuinely felt alive.

“I should probably get you home.”

“What? No. Why?”

Oikawa laughed again and Iwaizumi thought that he would never get tired of seeing the way Oikawa’s face lit up like that. “Because one of us was very insistent about having work in the morning just a couple of hours ago. You also said you hate hangovers but you keep grabbing drinks out of people’s hands and finishing them. I’m a bit worried that if I don’t take you home now, you’re going to end up with alcohol poisoning. Or with a broken nose.”

He couldn’t come up with a solid counter-argument at the moment given the fact that he was drunk and Oikawa was practically sober by now. Instead of trying to convince Oikawa to stay, he let him drag him out of the crowd and into the cold air. Oikawa threw Iwaizumi’s coat around his shoulders before slipping on his own as they began their walk back.

“Hey, Oikawa?”

Oikawa hummed looking over his shoulder.

“Thank you. For tonight.”

“Earlier I thought you might kill me. I don’t even know how to describe the look that was on your face.”

“It wasn’t you,” Iwaizumi admitted, hoping to give the other some reassurance. “It was more that I was mad at myself.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“No. I’m in a good mood now. I don’t want to ruin it.”

Oikawa smiled and slowed his pace so he could walk shoulder to shoulder with Iwaizumi. “Find something that makes you happy. Happy without being drunk.”

“That’s a good goal,” Iwaizumi mumbled, eyes drifting shut as his feet continued forward.

Oikawa nudged him. “Sleepy?”

Iwaizumi nodded, doing his best to keep his eyes open as he walked the last couple of blocks home.

His apartment was dark when he made it through the door, haphazardly slipping off his shoes and coat as he stumbled into the living room. He did his best to avoid all the carefully curated stacks as he tried to reach his room, his bed within sight but just out of reach.

Oikawa beat him to the bed, pulling the covers back for Iwaizumi to fall gracelessly into. Iwaizumi turned onto his side, watching Oikawa carefully pull the covers back over him and sit next to the bed. It was such a simple gesture that made Iwaizumi feel so cared for. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had done anything so simply kind for him. It made him feel vulnerable.

“I wanna be more than a lawyer,” Iwaizumi mumbled into the pillow. It had been on his mind all day but only now ,in the safety of his bed with alcohol thrumming through his veins, did he feel comfortable enough to say it.

“You are,” Oikawa told him, hand carding through his hair.

He shook his head. He wasn’t. He wasn’t anything like Hanamaki or Matsukawa who had friends and a life outside of work. He wasn’t like the man by his bed right now who could befriend a stranger if you gave him five minutes. Who could light up an entire room just by walking in it. Who could confidently approach his greatest rival and offer help not for some sick, twisted revenge plot, but because he truly wanted to help. Everything that everyone else was, Iwaizumi wasn’t. He hated himself for it. “I wish I was more like you, Shittykawa.”

“No, you don’t. You’re just drunk.”

“I mean it! You’re so carefree and fun. People are naturally drawn to you. And you’re nice! Why the fuck are you nice?” Iwaizumi groaned at the thought of how kind Oikawa actually was once you stripped away all the snarky comments and smug looks fueled by overconfidence. “You were supposed to be an arrogant asshat. I hate you.”

Oikawa chuckled, resting his cheek against the side of the bed as he watched Iwaizumi curl his fist into the sheets. His voice came out as a whisper. “You’re a good, honest man, Iwaizumi Hajime. You’re passionate and driven and decisive. You’re a lawyer because you’re good at it, not because you feel the need to prove yourself to anyone, and I admire that. You’re more than your career, okay? I’m sorry if I made you feel that way at all.”

“You didn’t,” Iwaizumi sighed. This had, unfortunately, been a reoccurring insecurity that he spent pushing down and hiding away while distracting himself with even more work. 

“You should get some sleep. Drinking is supposed to help, not make things worse.”

“ _ You _ helped.”

Oikawa’s eyes looked sad and Iwaizumi couldn’t quite figure out why. Before he was even given a chance to ask, Oikawa stood up and shoved his hands into his coat pockets. “Goodnight, Iwa-chan.”

After Oikawa left the room, Iwaizumi’s bed felt too big, too cold, too empty, but the alcohol pulled his eyelids shut and lulled him into sleep anyway.

☀/☾

His head hurt. The room was too bright and his comforter didn’t even come close to blocking all the light. He groaned, patting the bed in a poor attempt to try and locate his phone. He squinted at the screen and sighed when the time said  _ 9:05  _ with about 10 unanswered texts and three missed calls.

He responded to his boss first, explaining that he was feeling under the weather and hoped that he wouldn’t get drilled too much. Instead, Nobuteru responded with concern and told him to get some rest after assuring him not to worry. The kindness made Iwaizumi feel a bit guilty, but considering he had never had a day off, he forced that feeling down.

When he turned to his bedside table, he found a few pills resting next to a glass of water with a note. 

_ Figured you would have quite the headache. Take these and get some more rest. When you’re hungry, there’s food in the fridge. Feel better, Iwa-chan! Don’t hate me too much now that you’re sober!! ;) _

Iwaizumi didn’t feel like sleeping anymore so he forced himself out of bed. His head hurt even more when he stood and a rush of nausea overtook him, but he forced himself to brush his teeth anyway. He did slightly hate Oikawa, but only for letting him get that drunk. He was quietly thankful someone finally managed to drag him out of his comfort zone.

In the kitchen, he found instructions for how much water to drink throughout the day and a list of foods that would help with a headache. When Oikawa said he would leave everything he needed, he meant it. The whole thing was a bit excessive considering Iwaizumi had experienced hangovers before and was not a stranger to them. However, this was the first time he actually received helpful tips for how to deal with it. In college, everyone just suffered together and accepted their fate.

Inside the fridge, Iwaizumi found a tupperware box filled with some food and yet another note with hand drawn emoticons filling the sticky note. Endearing. It was nice knowing he wouldn’t have to cook for himself while his brain felt like it could pound directly out of the front of his skull. It was one less thing he had to worry about and another thing to add to the list of ways that Oikawa was so effortlessly thoughtful. He was almost annoyed with how easily it came to Oikawa.

As the food was heating up in the microwave, he caved and called Oikawa.

“Good morning, sunshine,” Oikawa sang. “How are you feeling?”

“Like shit,” Iwaizumi grumbled, fingers tapping on the countertop. “Look, um. Thank you for everything last night. You didn’t have to do all this.”

“Glad I could help. You decide to go to work?”

Iwaizumi closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he prepared himself to admit to Oikawa where he was. “I called in.”

“Well, I’ll be damned. I didn’t think you had it in you, Iwa-chan.” Iwaizumi could almost see the smile Oikawa was wearing. He wondered if his eyes held the same pride they did last night when Iwaizumi was dancing. He hoped they did.

“Yeah, yeah,” Iwaizumi replied, brushing him off. “Probably would have gone in but my alarm didn’t go off.”

“Of course not. I turned it off.” Oikawa said it so nonchalantly despite the fact that he probably knew it would make Iwaizumi mad. Iwaizumi envied that confidence. “Face recognition is a real lifesaver. I just held it up to your sleeping face and viola!”

He couldn’t help but laugh. He wanted so badly to be angry, but he was secretly thankful to not be in the office right now. He was doing something for himself for the first time in years. “You’re a bastard, Shittykawa.”

“Not what you said last night.”

“What?” What did he end up saying last night? His memory was a bit foggy after they started dancing. All he knew was that Oikawa walked him home and that was only because of all the preparations that were made for him. He tended to be quite the honest drunk, but he wasn’t sure what there was for him to tell Oikawa aside from the fact that he only slightly detested his presence now.

“Nevermind. Enjoy your food.” 

Left with nothing to say and a weird silence, Iwaizumi chose to just bring the call to a close. “I’ll see you later, I guess.”

“Yeah. You will.”

Iwaizumi hated to admit that whatever Oikawa cooked actually tasted good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay! sorry i missed last week. got super caught up with the holidays and i was working really hard on this chapter specifically since it's such a huge turning point for iwaizumi's character. and teasing oikawa will be back next week!
> 
> hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and happy new year!
> 
> twitter: prettyboitooru


	5. against all odds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> oikawa and iwaizumi sink into their own form of a routine and iwaizumi realizes what his life has become now that oikawa has infiltrated

Ever since the night at the club, Iwiazumi and Oikawa had slipped into something that could almost resemble friendship. Oikawa would come over to work, but half the time would be filled with Oikawa’s eclectic, and most likely exaggerated, stories. Iwaizumi actually shared some of his own which felt nice. It had been so long since he truly talked to someone the way he did with Oikawa. Things had become much more natural. The defense attorney surprisingly fit into Iwaizumi’s free time fairly nicely. It was to the point that Iwaizumi was genuinely bored on the nights he was by himself.

It felt  _ strange.  _ He never expected to have this level of familiarity with anyone, really, much less Oikawa. But here he was, expecting the man to be in his apartment at least four days a week with his annoyingly perfect hair and playful remarks.

About a week and a half after Oikawa dragged him out to the club, Oikawa walked through the door. Iwaizumi had begun leaving the front unlocked when he knew the other would be coming over. It spared them both the weird formality of actually letting Oikawa in. It didn’t feel necessary after almost a month of working together practically every day.

Iwaizumi was standing over his table, hands pressed to the surface, sleeves rolled up, tie loosened, and hair sticking up in random places after having stressed hands run through the strands a few too many times. Papers were spread everywhere but he was unable to focus on a single one. When Oikawa walked in, he almost smiled when he saw him, thankful for the break from this trainwreck. Instead, he looked up and let out an exasperated sigh, standing straight and resting his hands on his hips.

Oikawa was frozen right inside the doorway, a smirk growing on his lips as he looked Iwaizumi over. “You look hot like that, Iwa-chan. All disheveled. Looks like you just fucked someone.”

Iwaizumi chose to ignore the rather direct and slightly inappropriate comment that Oikawa probably considered a compliment. He had been doing that a lot lately and Iwiazumi hoped that if he just never gave it attention, it would eventually stop. He felt like he was training a dog. Tonight, he decided to pay attention to the back half. “Too bad  _ I’m _ the one getting fucked by this stupid case.”

Oikawa laughed, loud and short. “A sense of humor. Who would have thought you had one of those?”

“Shut up, Shittykawa. Just come inside.”

Oikawa kicked off his shoes right inside the door. “I think you should give me a house key. I’m here enough.”

“And you have managed to annoy me during every visit,” Iwaizumi called out as he walked into his kitchen and away from Oikawa so the flush on his cheeks could settle before it was noticed. “I can’t imagine having to deal with you if you just suddenly dropped by and let yourself in.”

“I think you like me.”

“Then you must not be as observant as I gave you credit for,” Iwaizumi mumbled before turning back to face him. “Have you eaten dinner?”

“No, actually. Are you about to order something?”

“I’m going to cook. I just need to know if I’m making enough for two.”

“Awe, Iwa-chan is cooking for me,” Oikawa replied as he joined him in the kitchen. 

He jumped on the counter beside the stove where Iwaizumi was planning to prep, but now Iwaizumi was forced to the kitchen island. He faced Oikawa out of fear that the other would get into something he shouldn’t since he tended to have wandering hands and an unquenchable curiosity whenever he was bored. Iwaizumi looked up momentarily and was quickly distracted by the way the dark gray slacks were tight around Oikawa’s thighs and his shirt was unbuttoned just enough for his collarbone to peak out. Iwaizumi wondered what the rest of his chest looked like and wished the shirt was just a bit tighter so he could see the defined muscles he knew were hiding underneath. He swallowed deeply, clearing his mind of Oikawa and focusing on the cooking. Oikawa had always been pretty. There was no use in taking notice of it now.

“You know, I would prefer if our dates didn’t include work,” Oikawa said as his legs swung back and forth like a child.

“This isn’t a date, you moron. I’m just not going to have you go brain dead because you forgot to eat.”

“You care about me. It’s so sweet.”

“I care about this case.”

He did, strangely enough, care about Oikawa. It wasn’t much but he did occasionally worry. He quickly came to realize that while Oikawa was a brilliant lawyer and had a natural gift for piecing what seemed like nothing into a meaningful counter-argument, he had the common sense of a housefly. He was constantly amazed that someone who could absolutely rule the courtroom could also live 28 years without realizing that he has to drink something besides coffee in order to actually be hydrated.  _ Liquids are liquids, Iwa-chan!  _

Oikawa pouted at the rejection. “I’m part of the case at this point.”

“Whatever you say. I just don’t want to have to pick your heavy ass up when you pass out from lack of nutrition.”

His mouth fell into a small ‘o’, feigning offense. “Excuse you, I had a cake pop with my latte earlier.”

“The epitome of health. You’re the poster boy for a proper diet.”

“What did you have to eat today then, oh might Iwa-chan who should have been a dietitian instead of a lawyer.”

Iwaizumi realized knew he had nothing all day today, hence why he was cooking a decent-sized meal now. Between this case and all the minor ones that fell in between, lunch breaks were a luxury Iwaizumi couldn’t always afford. However, he wasn’t going to let Oikawa catch him expressing concern when Iwaizumi was in the same position. He cleared his throat. “I picked up some takeout.”

Oikawa’s eyes flickered, probably from suspicion and rightfully so. “From where?”

“This Thai place down the street from the office.”

“There's no Thai place down the street from your office,” Oikawa said, head tilting slightly as he watched Iwaizumi with a razor-sharp gaze. “Lie to me again.”

“Yes, there is.”

“ _ No _ , there’s not. There  _ is _ one down the street from your apartment. That would be much too far of a walk for your lunch break, though.” His face was an unnerving reflection of the way he looks the moment he’s won a case in the courtroom.

Iwaizumi realized very quickly that Oikawa was right as he screwed his eyes shut. “Fuck.”

“Disappointing. Am I going to have to call you every day to make sure you eat? Since you’re apparently a hypocrite?” Oikawa smiled, a sickly sweet expression. Iwaizumi hated having arguments with other lawyers.

Iwaizumi huffed in defeat. “You call me enough. I’ll just make sure I eat and you do the same.”

“We could have had lunch together over the phone. I’m sad.”

“Because either of us has time for that.”

He walked to the fridge, throwing it open as he looked for the rest of the ingredients he needed just to find that the shelves were practically a barren wasteland. He didn’t cook very often. He should have expected to have nothing on hand. Instead, he was actually surprised by just how empty his kitchen had gotten. He would have never offered to cook if he knew he didn’t even have anything to cook  _ with _ .

“I, um, have to go to the grocery store,” Iwaizumi mumbled, trying not to be frustrated by the required impromptu trip. “Feel free to wait here. Make yourself at home. You basically already do.”

“Don’t be silly. I’ll come with you.” Oikawa jumped off the counter and smiled.

“It’s the grocery store,” Iwaizumi reminded him. That wasn’t exactly a desirable trip to be envious of. 

“Come on, Iwa-chan. Let me keep you company.”

“I don’t know. Being alone is better than being with you.”

“Always so mean. You’re all bark and no bite. I’m coming with. And to annoy you even further, I’m going to help you cook.”

“Didn’t know my worst nightmare was a person.”

The grocery store with Oikawa Tooru was an experience he wouldn’t wish on his worst enemy. The entirety of the trip consisted of putting things back on the shelf after Oikawa tossed it into the basket, answering why they couldn’t buy said thing, and dragging the pouting twenty eight year old away from the desired item. He expected a nuisance, of course. He just didn’t expect to wish the foldable seat for children in the front of the cart was just a bit bigger so he could shove an extremely distinguished lawyer into it.

“Iwa-chan,” Oikawa groaned, resting his forehead on Iwaizumi’s shoulder as he clung to his arm. “How long is this going to take?”

He was a child. Through and through. 

Iwaizumi sighed. “You saw how empty the fridge was. I offered to let you stay at my place.”

“That would be silly. You wouldn’t be there.”

Iwaizumi bit back the “ _ And you wouldn’t be here, which was the whole point.”  _ Instead, he smiled. “If you want to leave faster then take this half of the list,” Iwaizumi started as he tore his written grocery list in half before giving the bottom one to Oikawa. “And get your shit. Divide and conquer.”

“I’ll race you.”

“What?” Iwaizumi yelled at Oikawa though the man was already at the end of the aisle.

Oikawa turned his head just enough to yell over his shoulder. “First one at the checkout wins!”

“Fucking hell,” Iwaizumi mumbled, turning his cart around and sprinting in the opposite direction. His pride may be big enough to fear looking like a fool in the middle of the supermarket, but it was  _ too big  _ to let Oikawa beat him at a childish game.

He checked his list as he ran, noticing that a few things were all in the same general area. It would cut down on his time by quite a bit and hopefully give him a lead to end this as quickly as possible. Items were thrown into his cart haphazardly as he raced around the building to gather everything he needed.

Just when he was worried that this was all a set up to make Iwaizumi look like an idiot, he witnessed Oikawa run past, arms full of produce and a couple of jars. Shit, he looked like he could almost be done and Iwaizumi still had four more things. The next aisle took care of all four which left Iwaizumi scrambling to get to the checkout which was at the clear opposite side of the store.

He almost took down an elderly couple and a pregnant woman, but everyone managed to stay on their feet. While Iwaizumi had caused an immeasurable amount of annoyance, he did not cause any bodily harm so he chose to push down the embarrassment that was building as a result of his childish actions.

The checkout came into view and Iwaziumi quickly scanned all the lines in search of Oikawa. When he didn’t see him anywhere, he refrained from the much-wanted fist pump and instead pulled into one of the longer lines to await his competitor who was much slower than Iwaizumi expected.

When Oikawa rounded the corner, arms practically overflowing with groceries, his excited smile fell. His run turned into a rather slow walk as he approached Iwaizumi, not doing much to hide his disappointment. The groceries fell from his arms to the basket as he let out a huff.

“No fair, Iwa-chan! You had a cart. I only had my arms.”

Iwaizumi quirked an eyebrow, trying to refrain from calling Oikawa a five-year-old. “You could have grabbed a basket whenever you wanted. Don’t go talking about fairness.”

“It would have cost me precious seconds I clearly didn’t have.” The downturn of Oikawa’s lips was so dramatic and unnecessary, Iwaizumi had to fight back a smile.

“Shittykawa, are you a sore loser?”

“No. You’re a sore winner for rubbing it in my face like this.”

Iwaizumi threw his arm around the other’s shoulder despite Oikawa being a bit taller. It forced Oikawa to crouch down a bit as Iwaizumi whispered in his ear. “Then why are you pouting, you big baby?”

Oikawa pushed him off and crossed his arms before quickly realizing the actions were only further proving Iwaizumi’s point.

With his head thrown back, Iwaizumi laughed. He laughed long and hard while Oikawa’s features slowly shifted from a pout to a slight smirk until he was laughing with him. 

As Oikawa’s laugh rested into more of a light giggle he leaned on the cart and looked at Iwaizumi. “You had beginner’s luck.”

“Right because you’re well versed in grocery racing, I assume?”

“Actually, yes,” Oikawa clarified before standing up straighter to explain. “This was the only way me and my sister used to shop when I was younger. We stopped right before she graduated because one of my items was a watermelon and in my rush, I took down the whole melon tower. It was the biggest mess I had ever seen in my life and since I was in middle school, they said I was old enough to know better and made my parents pay for it all.”

“How did that go over?”

“Terribly. We had to admit to our parents that we had terrible manners and were basically public nuisances. Plus they made me ‘pay it back’ with a lifetime of chores packed into a single month.” Oikawa seemed to be in pain as he remembered the punishment. His face scrunched up in a way that, dare Iwaizumi say it, made him look unattractive for probably the first time in his whole damn life.

Iwaizumi decided to save that as a mental picture for later. “Good to know you’ve always been a mess. At least your poor mother is getting a break now that I’m the one taking care of you.”

“Oh, so you’re taking care of me now?” Oikawa asked as he stepped closer to Iwaizumi, tilting his chin down slightly as if to make a show of the extra few centimeters he had. Iwaizumi was quickly aware of the fact that one more step forward and they could easily be chest to chest, but his sudden revelation was interrupted by Oikawa continuing. “What happened to only caring about the case?”

“You yourself said you were a part of it,” Iwaizumi forced out. He willed his voice to be steady despite the proximity.

Oikawa hummed, teasing smile hard to ignore. “Are you going to keep taking care of me when it’s over?”

“I don’t know. Depends on how successful I am at getting rid of you.”

“Don’t get your hopes up too high. I do know where you live.”

“I’ll change the locks.”

“Don’t need to. I don’t have a key since you always let me in. You even leave the door open for me.”

Iwaizumi was once again left without a counterargument so instead, he didn’t answer. “It’s our turn, Shittykawa. Pay attention.”

The cashier smiled politely at them while she bagged up their groceries, ignoring the bickering they were currently partaking in. Iwaizumi didn’t even want to think about how he might be coming across to all the strangers currently shopping. He just hoped none of them would turn out to be potential clients that would somehow recognize his face.

He accepted the receipt with a polite  _ thank you  _ before tugging Oikawa out of the building, tight grip on his upper arm.

If you would have asked him ten years ago what he thought he would be doing, Iwiazumi would have never said racing his long time enemy through a grocery store in some weird competition to gather food the fastest. As he walked with Oikawa back to his apartment, arms full of grocery bags, he felt a laugh threatening to come out. None of this evening felt real.

“We are almost 30 years old. We had no business acting like that.” Despite his words, Iwaizumi was smiling, doing his best to repress a chuckle.

“Ease up, Iwa-chan. You can still have fun even when your hip is about to go out.  _ Did  _ you have fun?”

_ Yes.  _ “No.”

“Liar.”

“I won’t cook you dinner after all.”

Oikawa simply rolled his eyes. “Thanks for letting me come with you. Now I don’t have to go to the gym tonight.”

Iwaizumi simply hummed in response. He genuinely enjoyed that, though Oikawa would never hear him admit it.

Once back at his apartment, Iwaizumi immediately began cooking. He got the pots he needed, setting them on the stove before washing all the vegetables and lining them up on the cutting board. Oikawa watched his methodical movements with a small grin on his face. Iwaizumi gave him simple tasks like washing the rice and starting it in the rice cooker, assuming that no one could really mess that part up. All the while, he chopped all the other ingredients.

“Iwa-chan, I can help with more than rice, you know.”

“Do I?”

“I have a degree in law. I’m sure chopping an onion can’t be harder than that.”

Iwaizumi raised an eyebrow. Sure,  _ hard  _ is subjective, but not everyone had a natural affinity for cooking and while Oikawa did manage to prepare decent fried rice for him to nurse his hangover with, Iwaizumi thought it was safe to assume his skills didn’t stretch much farther than that. Still, he decided to test his theory. He flipped the knife in his hand, cradling the blade and presenting the handle to Oikawa.

“Chop the onion, then.”

Oikawa seemed more than up to the challenge. A smile grew on his face as he walked over to where Iwaizumi stood. The onion was already cut in half, laying flat for Oikawa to cut. Oikawa held the onion and began slicing, rather awkwardly through the vegetable. His brows knit as he concentrated, cuts slow but nowhere close to smooth. They were also incredibly uneven and messy. The layers were almost sliding out from the blunt pressure of the knife. After watching the rather painful attempt for less than a minute, Iwaizumi stepped in.

“Let me help, at least.”

Iwaizumi’s hand rested over Oikawa’s, curling their fingers under so the flat hand resembled more of a fist. “If you hold your fingers like this, the likelihood of seriously cutting yourself goes down. It’ll be a simple knick instead of ending up with an entire fingertip in your food.”

Next, he guided his other hand over Oikawa’s, which was holding the blade. “You’re pressing straight down. It’s causing more work for you and your cuts end up being shoddy.” He guided Oikawa’s hand in a forward rocking motion and Oikawa watched as the blade he was previously forcing through the layers was now gliding with ease, making simple quick cuts.

They stayed like that momentarily. They made a few cuts like that before Iwaizumi realized what could be a free hand was still resting on Oikawa’s wrist while he watched over Oikawa’s shoulder. He stilled and felt Oikawa’s shoulders tense up so he chose to back away, watching the flush creep up Oikawa’s neck.

He picked up a knife of his own and focused on something else to distract himself from the way his hands now felt cold. “Um, you got it now.”

“Yeah, uh, thank you.”

The only sound in the kitchen was the knives against the cutting boards, both of them entirely immersed (even if somewhat for show) in their personal tasks, separate from each other. Leaving enough space for each other as to not make the other uncomfortable. It was easier this way. Iwaizumi’s heart didn’t beat as fast and he could think properly without Oikawa standing close enough for their shoulders to brush. He hated the way it fogged his mind. Standing on opposite sides of the kitchen was just… better.

“Do you like cooking, Iwa-chan?” Oikawa asked after he finished chopping the onion properly. He watched Iwaizumi prep his share of the ingredients with careful eyes.

The knife slowed in Iwaizumi’s hand. “Yeah. I really do.”

Oikawa smiled. “You should quit and open a restaurant.”

They both knew it was an empty suggestion but it still made Iwaizumi feel freer in a strange way. It was like Oikawa was reminding him he had options, however ridiculous they may be. He could drop everything and do something entirely different if he so desired. Being a lawyer wasn’t a trap. It wasn’t all there was for him. Funny how Oikawa could do so much for Iwaizumi with a simple joke.

He smiled absentmindedly. “I’m not that good. It’s just something fun. I think if I turned it into work, I wouldn’t enjoy it anymore.”

“Why don’t you cook more often?” Oikawa asked. Every time they had seen each other, they either ate take out together, or Iwaizumi had finished dinner already, eating something he picked up from a street vendor on his way home.

“It’s hard to cook for one.” It was a lot of work to cook after a long day and it just didn’t feel worth it. There would be leftovers, sure, but he didn’t always want to eat the same meal five days in a row just because he had to.

“Then cook for me,” Oikawa replied like it was such an obvious solution. Truthfully, it was. “I’m over enough, and I’m not too picky. I’ll eat it if Iwa-chan is the one that makes it.”

Iwaizumi put his knife down and looked at him. He was so earnest and while it would truthfully benefit Oikawa more than it would Iwaizumi, Iwaizumi knew Oikawa wasn’t offering just to eat free food every night. He was offering for Iwaizumi. To give him a chance to do more of what he loved. It made Iwaizumi’s chest tighten while heat spread through his skin. He couldn’t bear to look at the other any longer, so he went back to chopping.

“Why don’t you eat this first and see what you think?”

“I bet it’ll be great, Iwa-chan. Ease up. You put enough pressure on yourself at work. Just cook now.”

Iwaizumi took a deep breath. Oikawa was right, unfortunately. Even if the food was mediocre, he still made it and enjoyed the whole process. He worked hard to put this meal on the table and that alone was worth it. Besides, he usually liked his cooking seeing as he got to cater everything to his own tastes. The person who would have to just deal with it would be Oikawa.

After everything was plated, they sat at the table together, knees bumping, compliments spilling from Oikawa’s mouth. Iwaizumi tried to scold him for it, but Oikawa simply insisted they were genuine.

“Will you really cook for me again?”

Iwaizumi shrugged.

Oikawa beamed. “Thanks for the food, Iwa-chan,” he whispered before he squeezed Iwaizumi’s hand and walked to the living room. “Give me the new charts. We have some numbers to crunch.”

They were back to a comfortable silence for the next two hours, Oikawa bound and determined to work through all of Tojiro’s old projects by the end of the night so they could figure out whether or not this was true fraud or if the younger was being framed.

Oikawa slammed the last packet on the coffee table, elbows resting on his knees as he sighed. “Good news and bad, Iwa-chan.”

“Bad first,” Iwaizumi insisted, leaning back on his hands so he could better look at Oikawa from where he sat on the floor.

“You’re going to have to figure out how to come up with a convincing case. The good news is that Tojiro actually committed fraud. Makes your life a bit easier though, doesn’t it?”

Iwaizumi felt like an entire anvil had been lifted off his chest. He could do this. He could win this case. It would be hard but it was most definitely possible now that he could continue with certainty. All that was left was piecing together the evidence he had.

“Let’s talk about something besides all the paperwork,” Oikawa said. “Who are your witnesses?”

Iwaizumi checked his notes. “Shimeru recommended the head of finance, Takahashi. And, well, Shimeru”

“Shimeru has his nose deep in this case. Kind of annoys me.” Oikawa clicked his tongue and leaned back on the couch, watching Iwaizumi through narrowed eyes.

“Why?”

“There’s no need to wear every hat,” he explained. “He’s playing doting son, project manager extraordinaire, finance guru, loyal witness, and practically an attorney. Picking out all this evidence for you and now offering himself up as a witness... it’s insulting. He’s not even the one filing the case. If it were Ito, it would be different.”

Iwaizumi didn’t fail to notice Oikawa’s growing frustration. While it was refreshing to see something besides his overly cheery front, Iwaizumi couldn’t help but worry. “Didn’t realize that was a pet peeve,” he replied as he scooted closer to the coffee table to observe Oikawa better. Now he could see even the smallest twitch of his downturned mouth.

“It should bother you too,” Oikawa pushed with a flop of his hands. “Doesn’t look good to have one person filling all the seats. Weakens your case. You should know that, Iwa-chan.”

Iwaizumi’s brows furrowed. He knew Oikawa was frustrated with Shimeru, but he didn’t really feel like he deserved to have it taken out on him. “I just figured it was a battle I’d fight when we got an actual court date. I’ve got enough on my plate right now. You know, trying to actually see if there’s even a case to take.”

“Fine. Just telling you he’s annoying.”

“Is that why you’re so curious about him?” Iwaizumi asked. “So you can find a reason to get him out of the case’s inner circle?”

“Maybe. What’s it matter if I’m still helping you?” Oikawa bit, his hostility reaching a new high that Iwaizumi really didn’t care for.

“Watch your tone, Oikawa.”

Oikawa took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. He looked at Iwaizumi with eyes so piercing and raw, Iwaizumi found he couldn’t look away even as Oikawa began to speak. “I just don’t like that I feel like he’s taking advantage of you. I know he just wants the best for his company but you’re not a puppet and he doesn’t get to pull the strings.”

Iwaizumi stared at him in disbelief. “You’re  _ this _ upset on my behalf?”

“Of course, I am!” Oikawa exclaimed. “Your reputation is on the line and I won’t have some snot-nosed brat that grew up in a life of luxury ruin you for the sake of his pride.”

Iwaizumi was speechless. He never expected Oikawa to be the first to come to his defense. They had been working well together, but he hadn’t thought that much of it. Now if he really processed the past month, he figured he would probably do the same in Oikawa’s position. Iwaizumi would be livid if someone had been acting this way towards Oikawa. It wasn’t much, but all of Shimeru’s micromanaging told Iwaizumi that Shimeru didn’t trust him to actually get the job done so he was spoon-fed the case instead. He should be just as angry as Oikawa.

He nodded, doing his best to find his words as he spoke softly. “I’ll talk to him and ask Ito to suggest another witness. There would be obvious bias if he testified, anyway. That’s a perfectly reasonable excuse.”

“Okay,” Oikawa sighed.

“Okay.”

“I’m sorry.” Oikawa’s voice was so quiet and sincere, it made Iwaizumi’s chest hurt.

“Don’t apologize,” Iwaizumi told him. “You’re right.”

“I might head home for the night. I need to cool off and It’s going to be hard to do this when the entire case revolves around this asshole.”

Iwaizumi wasn’t really sure how he felt about Oikawa walking home when he was this angry. It was almost midnight and Iwaizumi knew the places he went when he was looking to blow off steam. He didn’t want to think about Oikawa drunk and alone, stumbling home in the middle of early morning after a terrible form of stress relief. He knew Oikawa wasn’t him, but he worried anyway. “Do you want me to walk you home?”

“Such a gentleman,” Oikawa cooed. “No. I’m fine. Stay and keep working. You can fill me in on your progress tomorrow.”

“Of course.”

“I’ll text you when I get home, Iwa-chan!” Oikawa called from the door before he closed it behind him.

Iwaizumi was left with his own thoughts which now consisted entirely of  _ Fuck Shimeru  _ and  _ Thank god for Oikawa _ .

☀/☾

He cooked the next night. Traditional Japanese curry he knew Oikawa loved after watching him eat it a couple of times. He wasn’t going out of his way to impress the other, but if Oikawa ended up liking the food, Iwaizumi can say he would probably be extremely satisfied.

They had spoken just two hours earlier and agreed on a time as well as a game plan. Now that they were on the same page about Ito’s oldest, they agreed to not speak of him and get as much as humanly possible done without him. Iwaizumi insisted they shouldn’t have to contact him again and Oikawa told him he would hold Iwaizumi to that promise.

The smell of curry filled the kitchen as Iwaizumi hummed some song Oikawa kept singing under his breath the other day. It was a fairly catchy tune and Iwaizumi didn’t entirely hate it. It was stuck in his head more often than not the past few days despite not even knowing what song it was.

He was interrupted by his phone ringing beside him.

“Shittykawa,” he answered, waiting for whatever Oikawa could possibly have to tell him right now despite them meeting up in less than ten minutes.

“Iwa-chan,” Oikawa replied, sounding exasperated. “I’m a block from your apartment and you’ll never believe what happened.”

“You found a stray cat and you’re going to try and give it to me,” Iwaizumi replied, phone pinned to his shoulder as he scooped the curry onto a plate. He took the two plates in his hand and walked to the table, setting them down. 

“I wish. You would be a great cat dad, but no. Apparently, disaster struck at the firm and they called me in to fix it. I’m on vacation! I know I’m perfect but this seems like a little much.”

Iwaizumi put the plate down and stood up straighter, brows furrowed. “When do you have to go in?”

“Now! It’s so disrespectful,” Oikawa mumbled. “I just wanted to let you know I’m not going to make it tonight. Don’t work your brain too hard without me. You’ll get wrinkles if you make your thinking face too much.”

“Oh, okay.” His voice sounded strained. Why was it doing that? He cleared his throat, hoping that would help with some of the breathiness. “Have fun.”

“Only you would say that when someone else is going to  _ work _ .”

Iwaizumi hung up the phone and looked at the two plates of food sitting on the table. He didn’t like the way his stomach turned in disappointment and what felt way too close to hurt. Oikawa wouldn’t be here tonight. It was fine. He had a life outside of helping Iwaizumi. Iwaizumi would just pack up his food and take it as leftovers for lunch tomorrow. This was just fine. Iwaizumi spent nights alone plenty throughout the past five years.

This felt different.

His apartment now seemed too quiet. The table was empty with only Iwaizumi sitting at it. The sound of silverware against the plate grated Iwiazumi’s nerves more than it should. He was used to Oikawa’s humming filling the air. It used to annoy him, but now he had just accepted it, expected it almost. He suddenly wasn’t hungry anymore, the curry no longer seemed all that appetizing despite the taste being just fine.

His phone pinged and when he picked it up to see a text from Oikawa

**Shittykawa (7:34 pm)**

_ Get me out of here. _

Attached was a picture of a disheveled Oikawa in what seemed to be a bathroom stall with his hand in his hair. The image brought a smile to Iwaizumi’s face even though he would never admit it.

_ Need an SOS call? _

**Shittykawa (7:35 pm)**

_ I don’t think anything could get me out of this. _

_ Hence the hiding in the bathroom… _

**Shittykawa (7:37 pm)**

_ Apparently, one of our best attorneys just bailed and didn’t leave any of his notes for the current cases so everyone's scrambling. They thought I would be a cure-all.  _

_ I might be an angel, but I’m no god  _ ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ

_ Maybe he was a drug dealer and he fled the city.  _

_ That’s why he couldn’t say anything _

**Shittykawa (7:37 pm)**

_ What a conspiracy theorist you are, Iwa-chan~ _

_ Go save your poor colleagues and get off the phone. _

**Shittykawa (7:38 pm)**

_ But I want to talk to you...  _

_ Go, Shittykawa _

**Shittykawa (7:40 pm)**

｡゜(｀Д´)゜｡

Iwaizumi simply chose not to answer, knowing any additional texts would just prolong Oikawa’s procrastination and he didn’t really want to be the reason Oikawa got in trouble. His phone sat too close to his reach, too much of a temptation to respond so he tossed it onto the couch and forced himself to finish dinner.

The food tasted fine. He just wished he could have seen Oikawa’s reaction while he ate it.

He couldn’t focus on the case without Oikawa sitting across from him to keep him grounded. He couldn’t even really watch TV to try and relax for the first time in a while. His eyes kept drifting to the seat Oikawa  _ should  _ be sitting in. It was Oikawa’s spot on the couch now. He had his favorite pillow he propped behind his back to help his posture. He even had a preferred blanket he liked to curl up with when their conversations would drift from the case to something entirely different. He had managed to weave himself into Iwaizumi’s life, into Iwaizumi’s  _ home _ , like it was nothing. Like he belonged there.

Cutting off the train of thought Iwaizumi was currently traveling down, he checked the time and decided it was perfectly acceptable to have an early night. He deserved some rest and he couldn’t remember the last time he had slept for longer than four hours.

His body had no objection to sleep, but his mind certainly did. Thoughts raced back to Oikawa despite Iwaizumi’s every attempt to redirect himself. He fell asleep thinking of the floppy-haired bastard he wasn’t quite sure he could ever hate again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love this chapter because i was so excited to write these two being, well, these two
> 
> they're so much fun but i literally had such a hard time justifying actions like these in earlier chapters since iwa still had all his walls up but NOW *evil laughing*


	6. drunken words are sober thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> to celebrate being one step closer to figuring out this case, iwaizumi and oikawa share a few drinks and a few words neither of them expected to say

Iwaizumi regretted agreeing to work on a Saturday. Oikawa wasn’t as noisy as usual, but that was almost making things  _ worse.  _ What he wouldn’t give to hear a snarky remark from the other right about now. It had been almost 10 hours of nonstop work which, while productive, wasn’t how Iwaizumi wanted to spend a day off. Though, with a case like this, there weren’t exactly days off. If he wasn’t directly working on the case, he was thinking about it. There was no time away no matter how hard he tried.

Iwaizumi set another project to the side after all of its numbers checked out and the only inconsistency present was the projected budget as opposed to the actual budget. It wasn’t uncommon that those numbers were different. 

After checking the last box, he found that it was empty. He and Oikawa had sorted through all the paperwork and now all that was left was reviewing the stacks that stuck out, which Oikawa had marked with a bright pink sticky note on top.

Letting out a relieved sigh, he rubbed his forehead before standing and walking towards the kitchen.

“Going to bed, Iwa-chan?” 

“Getting a drink.”

“You drink while working?” Oikawa asked as he tsk’ed lightly.

Iwaizumi pulled two glasses down from the cabinet before calling over his shoulder. “No. I’m done for the night. We finished sorting so I’m going to call it good. You can leave or stay and have a drink. You definitely earned one.”

“Iwa-chan’s trying to get me drunk so he can seduce me. Charming.”

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes as he poured what would probably be too much whiskey into his class. Oikawa got a similar amount, but his was turned into a mixed drink. Given Iwaizumi’s knowledge of Oikawa’s ridiculous consumption of sugar, he had a feeling handing it to him neat would be an insult.

When he walked back into the living room to find that Oikawa had seemingly removed all the paperwork from his lap and onto the floor without hesitation. He was slumped against the arm of the couch, legs crossed lazily with his ankle resting on the opposing knee. When he saw the glasses in Iwaizumi’s hands, his eyebrows furrowed.

“All I had was whiskey,” Iwaizumi explained, extending the drink towards Oikawa.

To say Oikawa looked unimpressed was a drastic understatement. The drink was a warm caramel color as opposed to whatever fluorescent eyesore his cocktails usually were.

Iwaizumi stared at him waiting for him to take it. When he didn’t, Iwaizumi nudged forward. “Yours has ginger ale and lime. Figured you wouldn’t drink it straight.”

“How did you know?” he asked before taking a slow sip, disappointment fading into contentment as he lifted the glass to his lips again.

_ Because after all this time together, I like to think I know you _ , Iwaizumi thought but instead, he said, “You seem like the type to drink fruity drinks so you can’t taste the alcohol.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“It is.”

☼/☾

They started off drinking on the couch beside each other. At some point they moved to the floor, Oikawa’s legs resting on top of Iwaizumi’s outstretched ones. The conversation flowed well considering this was the longest they had talked about something besides work. Oikawa’s laughter filled the room and every now and then a hiccup would follow.

They were drunk. Well, Oikawa was drunk while Iwaizumi nudged the line, threatening to tip over it at any point. Oikawa had three of what he called  _ those little concoctions _ but Iwaizumi limited himself to two of his own drink. It didn’t change the fact that Iwaizumi’s body was light and his head was a bit foggy. Once he finished this glass, he would be a goner. He blamed the extremely light dinner he and Oikawa had about four hours ago. With nothing in his stomach, he was quite the lightweight.

Iwaizumi let his head loll to the side to watch the way Oikawa’s body slumped on the ground, head resting against the seat of a couch behind him. His cheeks were lightly flushed and eyelids heavy with a slight smirk on his face. Iwaizumi had never seen him so at peace. It was only at that moment that Iwaizumi realized maybe Oikawa’s relaxed appearance was nothing but a facade. It went along with the over-enthusiastic smiles and conversations that were truly friendly to be real.

He wondered if maybe this whole time it wasn’t that he disliked Oikawa because of his attitude or his ability to captivate a room just by walking in it. No. Maybe it was because every interaction with him up until they went to the club together had been manufactured on Oikawa’s end. It had been competitive insults that drew attention away from himself and cunning smiles that never quite reached his eyes. Iwaizumi hadn’t seen the man get frustrated until last week and even then, Oikawa excused himself, still keeping up this weird boundary that wasn’t necessary. Iwaizumi felt as if he had stopped filtering out weird parts of him a long time ago. He was who he was from the very beginning, but with Oikawa, he was left wondering. He had more questions than answers even though he felt like he was supposed to know him better by now. There was a sea of uncertainty rushing through Iwaizumi’s mind as the caramel liquid swirled in his glass.

He could drown in these thoughts, the questions, these doubts. He could see himself getting caught in a nasty tide before being drug under by the endless current that was Oikawa Tooru. Right now he was barely treading water but he had convinced himself it was just fine. It was only moments ago that he realized this was far from fine. He was frustrated and tired of barely staying afloat when it seemed like Oikawa navigated Iwiazumi’s entire being quite alright. There was a level of understanding Oikawa had of Iwaizumi that Iwaizumi didn’t have of him and it was causing the blood in his veins to simultaneously boil and freeze.

If Oikawa could give Iwaizumi genuine, meaningful smiles after their night at the club, he should be able to share other things with him. It bothered Iwaizumi more than he liked to admit. Why did Iwaizumi only get one side of Oikawa when he wanted all of him? He wanted to see him angry. He wanted to see him vulnerable. He even wanted to see him hurt as long as he wasn’t the cause but could be the solution. He wanted all these moments with Oikawa, but instead, all he got was happy and forced happy.

The whiskey made Iwaizumi’s tongue loose.

“Why do you pretend?”

Oikawa looked at him, confusion etched into his hazy features. “What?”

“You. You have this whole… act… going on. I don’t get it.”

“I simply don’t know what you mean, Iwa-chan.” He smiled and Iwaizumi could see right through it. It pissed him off. Why bother giving him one of those now that Iwaizumi had seen a real, genuine one? Why would he expect Iwaizumi to accept anything less now that he knew how beautiful Oikawa’s smile could be. This was the furthest thing from that. It was empty and ugly. It made a hole form in Iwaizumi’s chest. 

“Why can’t you be yourself with me?”

Oikawa’s eyes widened before a softness settled into them. “Have you ever been scared?”

He didn’t see how it was relevant but he would play along. He wanted an answer, even if it was as convoluted as Oikawa’s answers could be. “Of course, I have. Who hasn’t?”

“I was scared to offer to help you and then when we started working together I was scared it would blow up in my face.”

“That doesn’t explain it now. I mean, we get along.”

Oikawa shrugged. “Exactly. There’s more on the line now besides the case.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

The case was Iwaizumi’s responsibility to shoulder. Oikawa was here for, well, whatever reasons he was here. There was nothing at risk for him. He could come and go as he pleased, which is exactly what he did. What could be at stake for Oikawa?

“I wouldn’t expect it to when you’re drunk.”

“Maybe you’re just shit at explaining.”

“I’m not. You’re just dense.”

“You’re just drunk, Shittykawa.” Iwaizumi couldn’t help but laugh. Oikawa looked so serious, so vulnerable and Iwaizumi could not wrap his mind around why. Why would he be scared of them being friends? Were they friends? Did Iwaizumi want to be friends with Oikawa? He did, but something about the word didn’t sit right with him. There was something wrong, something missing. 

The sound of Iwaizumi’s laugh made Oikawa’s shoulders relax a little bit, but there was something lying underneath. It seemed like nerves. The expression reminded him of the first time he ever met Oikawa.

Iwaizumi reached up, brushing one of Oikawa’s loose curls off his forehead. “You know, the first time I saw you, I thought you were beautiful.”

“Really?” Oikawa’s face lit up, the last bits of tension slipping away just for his brows to furrow instead. “Wait, do you not anymore?”

“You just talk too much. Don’t interrupt,” Iwaizumi scolded, holding up a finger to quiet him.

☼/☾

The courtroom was bathed in gold from the morning light. Each shiny wood surface glowed from the sunbeams beating through the window. Iwaizumi soaked it all in as he stood behind his table, preparing for the case at hand. He had never met this Oikawa Tooru, but he heard enough about him to take him seriously. This would by no means an easy case, but Iwaizumi never wanted one of those. Not really. He preferred a challenge to keep him invested and motivated. It was the only way he could see a case to the end with the best possible developments.

The door creaked open behind him and he heard light footsteps make their way towards him. When he looked up he found soft brown hair curling on its ends with warm, honey brown eyes. His face paired with the perfectly fitted suit would be enough to throw anyone off guard. Iwaizumi never expected his opponent to look like that, an easy smile on his face. It was equally intimidating and frustrating.

The light fell on the man’s face just right, highlighting every strong feature and soft curve. His smile was comforting. As comforting as it could be considering he was a stranger. Truthfully, his entire presence put Iwaizumi at ease. He had a confident presence that only came when you were sure of yourself and your abilities. 

“You must be Iwaizumi-san,” the man started, outstretching his hand towards Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi accepted it with a firm shake. “I am. I assume you’re Oikawa-san?”

“In the flesh. It’s nice to put a name to the face. I heard plenty about you before this morning.”

Iwaizumi gave him a polite smile. He knew that while Oikawa had earned a reputation, Iwaizumi had built one of his very own. He was a well-trusted prosecutor. To the extent that he was surprised this was his first time meeting Oikawa. “I could say the same to you.”

“I wish you the best of luck,” Oikawa smiled, but there was now something underneath it that made Iwaizumi’s stomach churn. The calmness from earlier had faded into uneasiness with just a small shift of lips and a slightly different show of teeth. “You’ll need it.”

Oikawa winked and walked away. Leaving Iwaizumi to do nothing but stare. This guy was an asshole. At least Iwaizumi got one thing right when he laid eyes on the man. He was definitely confident. Charming and beautiful but with an ego the size of the iceberg that took down the titanic. Iwaizumi could not be the fucking Titanic.

By the end of the hearing, Iwaizumi practically felt like the poor sunken ship. Broken, defeated, and confused about how this could ever happen to someone like him. Oikawa was charismatic and engaging and an absolute monster. He made Iwaizumi feel like a stranger in the courtroom with the way he engaged in an easy conversation with one of Iwaizumi’s witnesses. He lured them into a comfortable state just to trick them into contradicting their statement. Iwaizumi pitied them, knowing just how it felt to be tricked by the soft grin and flick of the hair.

Oikawa gave them the same comfort he gave Iwaizumi just a little over an hour before. Iwaizumi wished he could yell at them that it was a trap and to keep their guard up but all he could do was sit and watch each person walk into it.

Oikawa would just simply smile and restate the original claim, the one that had just been contradicted. Iwaizumi had grown to hate the way the color drained from each of those witnesses’ faces. At first, he was too busy being amazed at how Oikawa could find the tiniest hole in a seemingly airtight statement. Now he just felt sick at the tiny hole being stretched large enough for Oikawa to shove his head through and make a mess of the entire thing.

Iwaizumi lost the case. So much so that he wondered how he ever thought he could win in the first place.

Oikawa simply smiled at him. “That was fun, Iwa-chan. We should do it again sometime.”

“I would rather die.”

“You only say that because you lost. Don’t be a sore loser. It isn’t very becoming of you.”

☼/☾

Despite everything, Iwaizumi would never be able to forget the first impression of the man in the courtroom. It was even harder now that he saw genuine smiles and stressed hands running through hair. Iwaizumi was dragged back to the way he first felt about Oikawa. He almost missed the days he could cover up jealousy as disgust and pretend that the knots in his stomach were from nerves instead of Oikawa’s smile. Now he just sat with nothing left to hide and no possible means of denying.

“You just, I don’t know, had this smile and I felt so calm. Now every time I see it, my stomach twists up because I know I’m going to have to present my case perfectly for even a hope at winning,” Iwaizumi sighed, tipping the last few drops of whiskey down his throat.

Oikawa laughed, light and airy. “Are you praising me right now?”

“Would you like me to stop?”

“No, it’s... I thought you were annoyed with me from the get-go.” Oikawa shrugged, slumping down so his head rested on Iwaizumi’s shoulder. It was comfortable like this. 

Iwaizumi rested his head against Oikawa’s and took a deep breath. “I was annoyed you could be that good at your job and have charms that would win anyone over.”

“Not anyone.”

“I’m pretty sure you could charm a cranky old man who hates the world into smiling.”

“But not you.”

Iwaizumi had never considered himself socially inept. He could read others even if he wasn’t always the best at expressing himself. Right now, he had no idea what to think of Oikawa’s blank expression in the low light of the living room. He chose to blame the buzz lightly pulsing through his veins from the whiskey.

He cleared his throat and furrowed his brows. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“You hate me,” Oikawa stated blankly, eyes unsure. 

Iwaizumi wasn’t sure why it bothered him so much to have the other think he disliked him. There was a bit of truth to the statement, but over the past two months, Iwaizumi spent more time trying to convince himself he still hated Oikawa than he did actually disliking him. The loud, ostentatious attorney had actually become good company and someone Iwaizumi genuinely wanted around. Iwaizumi had quite the cold front but he never thought that Oikawa still to this day thought they were working together out of necessity instead of the fact that Iwaizumi actually enjoyed it. He placed his hand on the floor next to Oikawa’s, not quite close enough for them to touch. 

“Hated,” Iwaizumi said quietly. “Not hate.”

“What?”

“I don’t… I don’t hate you anymore.”

Oikawa’s lips parted as he looked for words. Instead of speaking, he just moved away, hand running through the light brown curls.

“I just wish you would actually be you.”

“Haven’t done that in a while.”

“Then do it with me,” Iwaizumi proposed, sitting up straight and turning to face Oikawa. “Do it now. I’m drunk! I probably won’t even remember it.”

Oikawa laughed again, but it sounded different. Forced. “You’re going to make me cry.”

“Thank god! Oikawa feels emotion!”

“Of course I feel emotion, you idiot. It’s just dangerous to show it.” Oikawa turned so his body was facing Iwaizumi, but his face was downcast, not looking anywhere but the hands in his lap.

“Who’s going to hurt you here?” Iwaizumi asked, reaching out to tangle his fingers with Oikawa’s.

Oikawa jerked his hand away. “You.”

Shaking his head, Iwaizumi scooted closer. He wanted so badly to lean up against the couch in order to support his body while his head was spinning. Instead, he sat on his own, leaning closer to Oikawa, knowing he found more stability in him than a simple piece of furniture anyway. “I wouldn’t.”

“You don’t know that,” Oikawa huffed. 

At least he wasn’t moving away anymore. Instead, he now met Iwaizumi’s eyes, a flurry of emotion racing through them while Iwaizumi so desperately wished he could hit pause just to decipher them all. Oikawa was so complex and guarded. Of course the first time Iwaizumi sees something besides a plastic smile and forced crinkles around dull eyes, he’s too drunk to soak any of it in. Still, Iwaizumi pressed forward, knowing words were easier than slight changes in expression anyway.

“I do. I do, because I know I don’t want to hurt you. Isn’t that enough?”

“Not always, Iwa-chan. You can hurt people unintentionally.”

“I haven’t done that. Have I?”

Iwaizumi wouldn’t do that. He could never picture himself doing anything to hurt Oikawa. If it were three months ago, absolutely. But not now. Not now that he pictured his apartment with Oikawa in it. Not now that he genuinely looked forward to Oikawa walking in the door every night, Not now that he prolonged his progress on this stupid case just so he could spend more time with Oikawa without having to outright admit to anything.

_ God,  _ he was drunk. He would never let himself have these thoughts if he had just had one drink less, but here he was, wondering how the fuck he could prove to Oikawa that he was trustworthy.

Oikawa sighed. “You haven’t yet. But, it’s coming.”

It was the sincere, honest tone. Like Iwaizumi hurting Oikawa was inevitable when it didn’t have to be. He didn’t know why Oikawa’s statement carried such finality like there was nothing either of them could do. They were the two best lawyers in Japan and this… this is the one thing Oikawa had decided he couldn’t weasel his way out of? Iwaizumi hurting him was what would be his demise? Bullshit.

“Oikawa,” Iwaizumi stated, trying to sound as serious as he could with the slurred name sliding off his tongue with such little grace.

“Iwaizumi.” The name was clear and harsh and it hurt. It hurt Iwaizumi’s ears, yes, but more importantly, his chest was now tight, his heart no longer feeling like it was beating on its own, like Iwaizumi had to will it to pump blood through the veins that felt so cold.

“I didn’t like that. Sounded wrong,” Iwaizumi whispered, trying once again to take Oikawa’s restless hands.

This time, Oikawa didn’t fight him off. “Sorry. Iwa-chan.”

“We’re friends right?”

“Yeah,” Oikawa confirmed, but his voice cracked. “Friends.”

“If we’re friends, why doesn’t it feel like enough?” 

Iwaizumi didn’t know if that word would ever be enough. It didn’t quite cover the expanse of emotions Iwaizumi had begun to feel. It barely even touched the surface. He wasn’t sure what word to use instead, but he knew friends just didn’t cut it.

“Because it’s not,” Oikawa confirmed with a sad smile.

“Why is it not enough?” Iwaizumi asked, voice desperate as his face contorted in confusion. “I don’t understand it.”

“It’s okay. I’ll wait until you do.”

All Iwaizumi could do was watch Oikawa and look for the answers in the slight frown on his face or the tears in his eyes that begged to fall. He couldn’t move, couldn’t think. His entire mind was just  _ why  _ echoing over and over with no sign of an answer. He hated it. He hated not having the answers. Still, he could be thankful for the fact that he was finally seeing Oikawa as a human being. Even if it was in a weird trance created by alcohol. Even if he might never see this side of him while they’re sober. He would take this for what it was and pray he would remember it in the morning.

Oikawa sat entirely still, eyes looking back down at his lap where Iwaizumi ran his fingers over pale knuckles. He looked so small like that, with the dull light from the kitchen only lighting up the parts of his face that weren’t blocked by the couch. Iwaizumi could no longer see the confidence and friendly charisma that he had that very first moment they met. Instead, now all he saw was vulnerability. Vulnerability he didn’t know if he would ever be able to truly reach out and comfort.

“It’s weird seeing you like this,” Iwaizumi admitted quietly, scared that if he spoke too loudly, everything would shatter.

“Like what?”

“Not exuding this extreme cockiness,” Iwaizumi teased. The air was too tight. He couldn’t breathe any longer if it stayed this way. He had to cut the tension somehow. “You could almost convince me you were a normal person.”

“It’s the alcohol. Makes me sleepy.”

It felt like a lie, but Iwaizumi didn’t push farther, choosing to still take a more lighthearted route.

“If that’s the case, I’ll just have you drink every time you’re over.”

Oikawa yawned, head dropping into Iwaizumi’s lap. “That doesn’t seem very productive, Iwa-chan.”

Iwaizumi’s heart felt like it was pounding in his throat, making it impossible to swallow, to breathe. He and Oikawa had shared a few touches during their time together for this case but they were mostly all playful shoves and kicks underneath the dinner table. It was never like this. It was never with Oikawa’s cheek resting against his thigh while Iwaizumi’s fingers unconsciously tangled themselves with the mess of loose curls while his nails dragged against Oikawa’s scalp. It was never  _ intimate _ like this. 

His chest was tight. At least, it started off that way. The more he carded through Oikawa’s hair, the more his body relaxed. When his other hand fell to Oikawa’s back, Iwaizumi felt like he could breathe again. He didn’t understand it and felt too tired to even try to comprehend the way he unwinded through touching someone he once couldn’t bear to be around. Instead, he grabbed a blanket from off the couch and threw it over Oikawa before he, rather ungracefully, repositioned himself so he could also go to sleep. He should have gotten up and gone to his bed but that meant leaving the weight of Oikawa’s presence on the floor in the cold living room. He hated that his bed seemed less inviting than the hard wood he currently laid on. 

Oikawa’s head now rested on his stomach as Iwaizumi laid on his back, a hand resting behind his head while the other found its way back to Oikawa’s hair.

His mind raced, not knowing where to settle. Iwaizumi felt like he was replaying every memory he had shared with Oikawa over the past couple of months simultaneously. It was comforting and terrifying all at once. He was forced to realize that in some way or another, Oikawa was no longer just a rival. He was an important part of Iwaizumi’s life now. He had filled a hole that Iwaizumi never even realized he had.

What unsettled him, though, was the fact that he now knew why it would never be enough to just be friends with Oikawa Tooru.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so sorry about missing last weeks update, it was a crazy week and i never got the time to sit down and write for this story. 
> 
> hope you enjoyed and please tell me what you thought either here or on twitter at @prettyboitooru!!!!!!
> 
> hope to see you guys next week :)


	7. a reason to stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> iwaizumi fights to find a reason for oikawa to stay after they make a break through on the case

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! please notice the change in rating!
> 
> if you do not feel comfortable reading explicit content stop reading at ""Stubborn asshole," Iwaziumi mumbled..." and you can pick up again around "He attempted to pull the comforter..."
> 
> you will not miss any plot during this scene so you don't have to worry about that!!!
> 
> happy reading <3

Iwaizumi’s head hurt, but not quite like it did when he went to the club. Instead, it was just a steady thrum at the front of his brain. Annoying, but definitely tolerable. He only forced himself to open his eyes when he felt breath tickle across his throat. 

Oikawa had shifted in his sleep, his face pressed to the crook of Iwaizumi’s neck. Their legs were tangled together, dress slacks now wrinkled. Iwaizumi had to move. The weight of Oikawa’s body was too warm, too comforting, too natural. It was overwhelming.

He felt around for one of the stray throw pillows on the couch using the arm that was not currently pinned under his long-standing rival. Once he gripped the corner of a pillow, he began the slow, lengthy process of removing himself from the knot they had gotten themselves into. With the pillow successfully under Oikawa’s head and a blanket covering his body to replace the warmth that Iwaizumi was taking, he moved away.

He could have just woken him up, but that wouldn’t have allowed for him to have a second to himself. He needed some time, even if it might only be for a minute before Oikawa was stirring. He walked into his bathroom as quietly as he could, throwing on a pair of sweats and one of his older sweaters. He looked a mess, but he couldn’t bring himself to care all that much.

After he brushed his teeth, he grabbed the pack of cigarettes from the back of the drawer in his entryway table and made his way outside on his balcony. It was a crisp morning, a light breeze ruffling his clothes and mess of hair as he took slow breaths from the cigarette. He barely had enough time to see the smoke billow from his lips before the wind caught it and swept it away.

The cold stung. It wasn’t unpleasant, but his entire body had a chill since he left Oikawa’s side.

Even through the drunken haze, Iwaizumi remembered last night. He remembered how Oikawa looked at him and in the sober afterglow, Iwaizumi knew that expression he wore was fear and loneliness. He knew Oikawa had to be a social guy. He was a natural conversationalist and had to make friends easily. Yet, last night, Iwaizumi saw Oikawa look a way that Iwaizumi hadn’t even realized he himself had felt. Oikawa was alone and it scared him. What that had to do with Iwaizumi, he couldn’t say, but he liked to think that maybe it was because he found as much comfort in Iwaizumi’s presence as Iwaizumi had found in his.

He dashed his cigarette against the railing and let out a long sigh. Did he really have feelings for Oikawa Tooru of all people? Did he really manage to dig a hole this deep, just to forget a ladder to climb out?

After taking a long breath in, Iwaizumi held the smoke in his lungs. Oikawa would be going back to work soon. There had been no outright conversation about it, but given the fact that Oikawa’s firm was now down a very important attorney and Oikawa had no current cases, there was no doubt that all this time together would soon come to a close. 

“Fuck,” Iwaizumi sighed, letting the smoke out after it got to the point it was burning. This was a mess.

He heard a knock on the glass door behind him and looked over his shoulder to see Oikawa, hair disheveled and sticking up in random places. His shirt was only half tucked in with more buttons undone than they had gone to sleep with. He looked like he had slept on the side of the road last night but all Iwaizumi could think was that he was beautiful.

Oikawa leaned against the door, smirk growing on his face. “A smoker  _ and  _ a constant drinker. I thought I told you not too long ago that a man like you is always on the clock.”

Iwaizumi huffed out a laugh, though there was no humor in it. “Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

“The case getting to you?” Oikawa asked, sensing the tension.

“Let’s go with that,” Iwaizumi mumbled, putting the cigarette out and flicking it into the ashtray. “I’ll get you a change of clothes. I think I have a spare toothbrush in my drawer somewhere, too.”

“How domestic.”

Iwaizumi ignored him, pushing past him back into the warmth of his apartment. Oikawa padded lightly behind him until they made it to his closet. After digging around, Iwaizumi threw him a pair of sweats that had always been too long as well as a Nagoya Law sweatshirt just to spite him. Oikawa grimaced at the top but changed into it anyway as Iwaizumi fished an unused toothbrush out from a package and set it on the counter.

“I’m going to go look at a few of the files. Come out when you’re ready.”

Oikawa groaned. “Can we at least have breakfast first?”

“It’s almost 11. We might as well work until it’s lunch and eat then.”

“All work, no play makes Iwa-chan a dull boy,” Oikawa sang as Iwaizumi walked out. He hoped Oikawa could feel him rolling his eyes even if he wasn’t able to see it.

The stack of papers was actually a welcomed reprieve. They were the perfect, productive distraction from all thoughts about Oikawa. Even when Oikawa joined him, curling up on the couch and grabbing his own stack to sort through, Iwaizumi was able to maintain focus. Numbers added up, projects made sense. The only outliers were from Tojiro’s projects. The main one being  _ Paper Trails.  _ There were plenty of other cases that were subtle, but this project was special because it was blatant fraud. No one tried to cover it up or even make it look like an accident. Money was stolen, profits were left unreported. Income was reallocated before any attention could be brought to it. It was an absolute disaster.

It was the staple of the prosecution case.

At the bottom of the stack lay a single sheet of paper labeled as a profit chart for the month of March. Iwaizumi noticed it was only one page when it should have been around fifteen to twenty. The page he held was the page strictly for  _ Paper Trails _ . It would make sense for it to be in this stack, but he and Oikawa both agreed to keep profit charts together in a separate stack entirely since it could provide feedback for multiple projects and were much more valuable together instead of separate. He frowned.

“Oikawa, do you have the rest of the profit chart for all of Ito’s projects from last March?”

Oikawa looked around at his stacks before sliding him a stack of papers and returning his concentration to whichever random graph they were given a couple of weeks prior. “There’s all of it. I’m not sure what you mean by  _ rest of _ .”

Iwaizumi flipped through the chart only to find that the page for  _ Paper Trails _ was already in the stack. Why was there another copy?

“That’s weird. These are practically identical,” Iwaizumi noted, studying the pages in his hands. Shimeru had insisted every document was important but that didn’t explain the accidental duplicate. Not to mention, it was the only duplicate. “I wonder why Shimeru brought this if it was already in the original case file.”

“Probably didn’t realize he already brought it. Are there different dates? Maybe this is from a previous year?”

“No. All the numbers are the same. Actually, wait.” He looked over the single column that stated the project lead _._ The old one had Shimeru’s name on it, but this new one claimed the lead was Tojiro. Everything was slowly starting to make sense. “How could I have missed this?” he asked quietly.

“Hmm, miss what?” Oikawa looked over his shoulder before letting out a breath, letting Iwaizumi knew he had seen it too. “Holy shit.”

“I think Shimeru is trying to cover his ass by framing Tojiro.”

“That would explain the random bits that don’t really seem to go to anything. It’s probably stuff Shimeru forgot to switch over. I guess that’s one of the things he switched.”

It all made sense. Shimeru’s over-involvement in the case. The fact that he was to only one to ever submit evidence. The fact that Paper Trails was his project. His project to fabricate numbers. His project to make a mess of. He did it all in hopes of changing a few names and pinning it all on his brother. It would be so easy given the fact that he was one of the higher-ups. As the project manager, he can choose whether or not to credit himself when the time came. Of course, he didn’t. This left everything wide open to pin on Tojiro. One single document that had been left untampered sent the whole thing crashing down.

“I won’t be able to win this case unless Ito goes after his oldest,” Iwaizumi mumbled, setting the papers down

“But you can win. You know you can win. It’s all right here.”

“I think if I can get him to change the charges, it’ll be impossible to lose. Especially if I can get my hands on all the original documents.” Iwaizumi prayed it would be possible to recover all the original data. There had to be a way. He would win this case.

He stood up and walked towards Oikawa, pulling him into a hug. “Thank you.”

Oikawa’s arms wrapped around him hesitantly. “I didn’t do much.”

“You did more than enough. Shut up, Shittykawa.”

“It’s not nice to call names while you’re expressing gratitude.”

Iwaizumi let go of him just to shove him away. He laid back on the couch and watched Oikawa’s expression shift just slightly. 

“Well, now that you figured it out, I guess I can go,” Oikawa smiled but it didn’t quite fill his whole face. He stood up, dusting off his sweatpants and looking down where Iwaizumi was sitting.

Iwaizumi really did not want him to leave. He wanted him to stay in the spot on the couch for as long as possible, knowing that as soon as he walked out that door, he would have no reason to come back. “You don’t have to leave just yet, you know. We could at least eat lunch.”

Oikawa’s expression immediately shifted, whatever was looming underneath his smile had dissipated, leaving only a self-satisfied smirk. “Iwa-chan, if I didn’t know any better, I would think you were starting to enjoy my company.”

“Do you want food or not, Shittykawa?” Iwaizumi asked again, waiting for the answer.

Oikawa nodded. “I would love to have lunch with you, Iwa-chan.”

“Okay then. Come help me cook.”

They stood in the kitchen, shoulder to shoulder. It was much different from the last time they shared the kitchen together. Oikawa was mostly laughing as he failed to do whatever it was Iwaizumi instructed. Iwaizumi simply watched on, unable to find it in himself to be frustrated. Not when Oikawa’s eyes were squinted shut and tears threatened to spill. All because of a broken egg that now sat on the floor.

“You’re helpless,” Iwaizumi breathed out through a laugh. “Have you never cooked in your life?”

Oikawa shook his head, laugh dying into small giggles. “No. I probably never will, either. Iwa-chan will just do it for me.”

“You better pay me if you’re going to make me your full-time chef.”

“Oh, I’ll pay you alright,” Oikawa replied, wiggling his eyebrows as he fell into another fit of laughter.

Iwaizumi attempted to push him hard enough that he would step on the egg splattered on the tile. “I don’t even want to know. Find some way to be useful or get out of my way.”

“Come on now Iwa-chan. We were having so much fun!”

“We’ll never eat if I can’t cook. Is that what you want?”

Oikawa’s stomach growled in response.

“I’ll take that as a no.”

Iwaizumi finished preparing their lunch as quickly as possible seeing as his own hunger was now washing over him. They didn’t eat much yesterday in their rush of work, so he was definitely feeling the cramp of his stomach now. Once he sat across Oikawa, he didn’t even care to watch the other’s giddy response to the food. He was much too busy stuffing his own face. He hadn’t even realized how hungry he was.

Knees bumped under the table and Oikawa leaned forward on his elbows, eyes watching Iwaizumi as he spoke. Iwaizumi sat back with a small smile as Oikawa animatedly told another story involving his law school days.

Iwaizumi would miss this. He would miss having Oikawa at his table, in his spot on the couch, in his home. He would miss listening to Oikawa’s incessant humming and endless teasing. He would miss the way Oikawa’s eyes lit up when Iwaizumi slipped and accidentally complimented him instead of covering it up with banter. Iwaizumi would miss Oikawa. 

Oikawa pushed his plate away and leaned back, rubbing his stomach. “Okay. I think that was enough food for an entire week.”

“Have the energy to help me clean up?” Iwaizumi asked, grabbing the plates from the table.

“As long as you actually help me and don’t leave me to clean all on my own.”

“You do the plates and I’ll do the pan, Asskawa.”

“That one’s new! You’re getting so creative.”

They cleaned, and it was becoming undeniable that the both of them were simply searching for things to do so Oikawa had a reason to stay. Iwaizumi did not know it was humanly possible to wash a plate as slowly as Oikawa was but here they both were, ten minutes later, with Oikawa just now drying the plates. Oikawa took a deep breath and rested his head on Iwaizumi’s shoulder. Iwaizumi reached out and rubbed his back slowly, wishing they could stay like this.

“I don’t want to leave,” Oikawa whispered.

Iwaizumi looked at him, face warming. “Then don’t.”

Oikawa picked his head up. “Wanna watch a movie?”

Iwaizumi thought back to when Oikawa invited himself over. He grimaced. Not only were they terribly awkward that whole day, but the movie was terrible and Oikawa talked way too much. “Absolutely not.”

“Want to play cards?”

“Sure.”

It seemed like a just fine way to spend their time. He should have known it would end poorly when he had the two most competitive attorneys in Japan trying to beat each other at multiple games of Speed. At one point, Iwaizumi was ready to throw all the cards off the couch and storm off. However, he was completely incapable of admitting defeat. Instead, he asked for rematch after rematch.

He had no idea how Oikawa could even comprehend what cards were in his hand and which were on the cushions as he quickly traded them out, shifting the stack in his hands until he got exactly what he needed. If Iwaizumi knew how fast Oikawa’s hands could move, he would have never let him pick the game. It was no one’s fault but his own.

He sat back and watched as Oikawa shuffled the deck for their eighth game. Iwaizumi had only won once, but now that he was getting the hang of it, he refused to give up now. Oikawa’s slim fingers worked over the cards, pulling them up so they fell together nicely. It was just shuffling cards. He had seen people do it plenty of times. He didn’t understand why it was so mesmerizing when Oikawa was the one who was doing it.

He made the mistake of looking up from his hands and allowing himself to look at Oikawa’s face.

_ God,  _ he looked so pretty sitting in front of Iwaizumi, laugh overtaking his entire face and making the room absolutely glow from only his smile. Iwaizumi’s breath caught in his throat as he couldn’t bring himself to do anything but stare at what might as well be a work of art in front of him. It was the entire picture. Oikawa in his sweatshirt, smiling like there wasn’t a single bad thing in the world. It was the way he looked like he belonged in that spot on the couch and Iwaizumi would never be able to look at it again without thinking of him. It was the way Iwaizumi’s heart fluttered at the thought of that  _ always  _ being his spot and Oikawa  _ always  _ wearing his clothes after he spent the night. It was the way Iwaizumi desperately wished Oikawa was his.

He didn’t know when the flip switched to make his brain go from hating Oikawa Tooru to craving to know every inch of his body as if it was his own. To make him smile until the sun stopped rising and the world quit turning. To love him until he felt like he might explode from the pressure in his chest. It scared him to realize how close he was to loving this man. It scared him, even more, when he realized he genuinely wanted to. Oikawa was loud and obnoxious and the most arrogant person Iwaizumi had ever met. He was also diligent, observant, kind, and admittedly selfless though he acts like he’s not. The knowledge of the gentler side of Oikawa burned through his heart with an unforgiving blaze, leaving him nowhere to go except to lean in and brush his lips against Oikawa’s.

He understood why being friends wasn’t enough. Being friends would never be enough.

He wished they wouldn’t have made a breakthrough on the case.

His lips finally met Oikawa’s and to his dismay, there was nothing but stillness. Sitting back slowly, he looked at his hands and where they rested beside Oikawa’s hip, fingertips twitching to close the space as he tried to figure out what to say to keep Oikawa from walking out the door and never speaking to him again.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, gaze reluctantly meeting Oikawa’s again, Oikawa’s hands framed Iwaizumi’s face and pulled him back, lips meeting in a searing kiss as Oikawa’s fingers wove into Iwaizumi’s hair.

“Kept wondering how long I was going to have to wait,” Oikawa whispered against his lips

Iwaizumi kissed him once more, light and quick. “You could have made the first move.”

“I wanted you to so I knew it was real.”

“Stubborn asshole,” Iwaizumi mumbled just as he kissed him again, urging him onto his lap with a firm pull as his arms wrapped around his waist, sending the cards to the floor with the swift motion. He couldn’t bring himself to care about the mess as Oikawa pressed his hips down into Iwaizumi’s lap, eliciting a long moan from them both.

He didn’t realize how badly he wanted this until Oikawa was on top of him. He slid his hands underneath Oikawa’s sweatshirt, fingers tracing the defined muscles of his back slowly as if maybe he could memorize the firm lines and the way the skin was pulled taut when he flexed a certain way. He wanted to know Oikawa’s body so well, he could sculpt it, but he wondered if even the finest marble would do it justice just by feeling the skin underneath his rough palms.

Oikawa shivered before pressing his body closer to Iwaizumi. It was Iwaizumi’s breaking point. He had Oikawa’s tongue swiping against the roof of his mouth, his perfect ass grinding down on his lap, and now his chest pressed to his in an attempt to get impossibly closer. Iwaizumi couldn’t take it anymore. He broke away, biting the crook of Oikawa’s neck as his hands slid underneath his thighs. 

Iwaizumi stood and hoisted Oikawa up with him, repositioning them ever so slightly so he could walk them both to the bedroom. Arms tightened around his shoulder as he pressed gentle kisses up and down Oikawa’s neck. Every now and then, his tongue would poke out to soothe the spot if he had taken enough time to stop and suck on the expanse of skin. He wanted to fill the pale skin with small purple bruises wherever he could. The desire filled him as if his only job were to mark Oikawa and make him feel as much as possible.

The bed greeted Oikawa’s back first as Iwaizumi dropped him onto the fluffy comforter before climbing on top of him, knees resting on either side of his hips.

“Is this okay?” he asked as his fingers played with the hem of Oikawa’s sweatshirt. He wanted to make sure he wasn’t taking this too far, too quickly. Oikawa nodded but it wasn’t enough. “I need to know what you want me to do,” Iwaizumi said softly, coaxing a response from the man underneath him. 

Oikawa covered his face, but Iwaizumi could see his ears painted red.

He leaned down, pressing a kiss right underneath Oikawa’s ear. “Didn’t know you could be shy.”

Oikawa groaned and Iwaizumi sat up, pulling Oikawa’s hands away from his face.

“Baby, tell me what you want.”

Oikawa turned his head to the side, squeezing his eyes shut. “If you call me that I’m going to explode.”

“Baby,” Iwaizumi drew out.

“Please, just fuck me,” Oikawa begged.

Iwaizumi chuckled, the sound low as he pressed his lips against Oikawa’s again, hungrily searching out the other. Oikawa’s hands were in his hair, pulling as Iwaizumi bit down on Oikawa’s lip. His hands pushed the sweatshirt up Oikawa’s body, his fingers running over the trail of goosebumps he knew he was leaving behind. Having Oikawa like this was addicting. Iwaizumi slowly wanted to take him apart and make him feel so good he broke down. 

Once Oikawa’s sweatshirt was off, Iwaizumi peeled his own sweater off his body and threw it to the floor before pressing his chest to Oikawa’s once more. Oikawa’s hands sought purchase on Iwaizumi’s back, nails digging in ever so slightly as Iwaizumi mouthed at his neck, making sure to leave marks just so he could see them later.

Iwaizumi bit down on Oikawa’s shoulder and drew out a strangled gasp which only encouraged Iwaizumi farther. He wanted to hear as many noises as Oikawa could offer him. He wanted to hear every variety of moan and gasp and his name if he were to be so lucky.

Using one hand for support, his other grazed down Oikawa’s body before toying with the waistband of the borrowed sweats. Iwaizumi had noticed the way Oikawa was now filling out the front but avoided giving too much attention to it so far if just to stretch things out. But now, the hardness between his own legs was becoming hard to ignore. He could find other ways to make things last if he really needed to.

As his hand reached into Oikawa’s sweats, grasping his length, he kissed his chest, tongue wandering before settling over a hardened nipple. Iwaizumi sucked lightly as Oikawa bucked into Iwaizumi’s hand. Iwaizumi couldn’t help but smile as his grip grew tighter and his teeth grazed the sensitive spot. 

“Iwaizumi, I swear-”

Iwaizumi stopped his movements. “So  _ now  _ is when you drop the stupid nickname?”

“You want to be called Iwa-chan in bed?” Oikawa asked, eyebrow raised.

“I don’t care what you’re saying as long as it’s some variation of my name.”

“What about Hajime then?” Oikawa asked, playful lilt to his voice. 

_ Fuck…  _ “Hajime is fine.”

Oikawa’s hand wandered between them, palming Iwaizumi’s hardened dick over his pants. “Just _ fine _ , Hajime?”

Iwaizumi didn’t answer, just kissed Oikawa roughly as his hand moved faster, collecting Oikawa’s precum with every slide, making things glide in a sinful manner.

Oikawa’s hand clasped Iwaizumi’s hair at the base of his neck as his breathing quickened. “Need you inside me,” he choked out, attempting to push his pants off with one hand.

Iwaizumi helped him, pulling the clothing the rest of the way and throwing it to the floor with the long-abandoned shirts. With Oikawa naked beneath him, Iwaizumi was forced to stop and just admire. His skin was flawless and he had toned muscles that tensed under Iwaizumi’s touch. Perfect chest, abs, and thighs. An absolute work of art. Iwaizumi knew no matter how well he knew this body, no sculpture would ever be able to capture it despite his earlier desire to recreate it in the finest marble.

Oikawa ran his hand down Iwaizumi’s chest. “Hajime…”

“You’re so beautiful.”

Oikawa himself had spoken of his beauty more times than Iwaizumi could count, but with the words spilling from Iwaizumi’s lips, Oikawa’s eyes widened and his face was covered in a gorgeous pink. It was like he had never heard those words before. Iwaizumi smiled at the thought, leaning down to press his lips to Oikawa’s neck and jaw. “Let me make you feel good, baby.”

“Please.”

Iwaizumi fumbled around in his nightstand as he kissed Oikawa deeply, not wanting to leave Oikawa’s lips. His hand tightened around a small bottle and he popped the cap, pouring it over his first finger generously. Oikawa felt so tight as he prodded lightly at the puckered hole. It was only after gentle coaxing that Oikawa relaxed and Iwaizumi was able to slip in without too much resistance. The lube made everything so wet and Iwaizumi had to bury his face in Oikawa’s neck to fight the groan that was building just thinking about his cock sliding in and out of the warmth.

He took a deep breath, sliding his finger in and out slowly as Oikawa’s grip on him tightened, fingernails digging into his shoulder. It was when Iwaizumi slipped a second finger in that Oikawa let out a moan.

“Need… more.”

“Patience,” Iwaizumi mumbled into Oikawa’s skin, kissing lightly before moving away so he could see Oikawa’s face.

He looked so pretty with his eyes screwed shut as Iwaizumi scissored his fingers open, loosening up the tight space enough to fit a third finger. It was only then that he grazed the walls, looking for the spot that would cause Oikawa to cry out in pleasure.

He knew he found it when Oikawa’s back arched and his mouth fell open. Iwaizumi smiled to himself as he repeatedly brushed up against it with every light thrust of his hand. Oikawa’s hand fell to grip Iwaizumi’s wrist, pressing him farther into him, practically begging him to go deeper.

Iwaizumi did the opposite, pulling his hand out entirely and he watched Oikawa’s face fall in frustration and his eyes shot open. “Hajime-”

“I can finish you like that or I can fuck you.”

Oikawa’s eyes widened before he swallowed, Adam’s apple bobbing. “Fuck me.”

Iwaizumi smiled, reaching back into the open drawer and finding a condom. He shucked off his pants and climbed back between Oikawa’s legs. He sat back on his heels and while one hand trailed up and down the inside of Oikawa’s thigh, the other eased the latex over his hardened member. The lube was discarded next to him from earlier so he picked it up, making sure he was coated before lining himself up.

The chest underneath him rose and fell with shaky breaths as Iwaizumi eased himself in, careful not to hurt Oikawa. He was instead encouraged by the string of moans and incoherent sentences that spilled from his mouth with every slow thrust Iwaizumi made.

Oikawa had one hand twisted in the sheets as the other dug into Iwaizumi’s arm. His head was thrown back, hair splayed against the pillow and neck covered in marks on full display for Iwaizumi to see.

“Fuck me like you mean it, Hajime,” Oikawa breathed out, only opening his eyes to meet Iwaizumi’s gaze.

“You’re such a brat,” Iwaizumi replied before he snapped his hips roughly, leaving Oikawa incoherent. 

Iwaziumi listened to the broken syllables of his name falling from Oikawa’s lips as he continued, speed increasing as worked to rub his tip against Oikawa’s prostate every chance he got. Once he felt like he was close, his hand reached between the two of them, cupping Oikawa’s dripping cock as he pumped in time with his thrusts.

It wasn’t long before Oikawa was spilling over onto his chest and Iwaizumi’s hand. The rhythmic clenches as Oikawa rode out his orgasm pushed Iwaizumi over the edge just moments later as he sloppily thrust through his own high.

When he had finished, he couldn’t bring himself to move. Instead, with his clean hand, he brushed the hair from Oikawa’s face and pressed a quick kiss to his forehead. Oikawa caught his face and brought their lips together before Iwaizumi could move away. Oikawa’s lips moved slowly, carefully, like if he moved too fast, he might break the dreamy haze they were currently in. Iwaizumi pressed forward, ever so slightly, in order to chase the kiss. He could do this for the rest of the day if he were honest.

“I feel sticky, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa whispered with a grimace before Iwaizumi could deepen the kiss.

Iwaizumi hummed, looking at the mess between them before he gently pulled out, immediately missing the warmth. “I’ll get something to clean us up.”

After disposing of the condom and getting a warm washcloth, Iwaizumi came back to Oikawa sprawled out on the bed, leg hanging off the side as he lay in a very awkward starfish position. Iwaizumi rolled his eyes at the dramatic display of exhaustion before helping the man clean up.

He attempted to pull the comforter out from underneath Oikawa’s body with little success before he forced the other to move and at least get under the covers.

When Oikawa had curled into Iwaizumi’s side and Iwaizumi started lightly combing through Oikawa’s messy curls, Oikawa looked up at him, chin resting on Iwaizumi’s chest. “Not going to kick me out?”

“You can stay for a bit,” Iwaizumi mumbled, pressing a kiss to Oikawa’s nose.

“How generous. I’m used to getting kicked out after a hookup.”

A hookup. Right. Neither of them had really talked about feelings before Iwaizumi surged forward and kissed Oikawa. Well, he was planning on having Oikawa stay with him for the day but he might not want to after Iwaizumi said what he needed to.

“Oikawa, I hope you know that I genuinely like you,” Iwaizumi admitted, throat suddenly feeling just a bit too tight. “This wasn’t just a physical thing for me. If you don’t feel the same-”

Oikawa interrupted him with a sly smirk on his face. “I’ve been interested in you since I first met you. Of course, I feel the same.”

Iwaizumi stared at him. “Wait, what?”

“Why do you think I offered to help you?”

“Because you wanted to see how I work so you could have better insight next time you went up against me,” Iwaizumi replied. “That’s literally what you told me.”

Oikawa looked down, fingers trailing up and down Iwaizumi’s chest lightly. “I mean, yes, that’s what I told you, but obviously I lied.”

“Oh, yes. Obviously.” The sarcastic tone dripped from his lips as he continued to study Oikawa, seeking further explanation. 

“Well, It was because I thought you would either end up being someone I could actually be interested in or you would turn out to be another Ushijima and I would just give it up. But I had to at least know!”

“Wait a second. What do you mean another Ushijima?”

“We went on a date once. It was terrible. That’s beside the point, though.”

Iwaizumi shook his head. “No, it’s not. What did you mean by saying I could have been like him?”

“Bland, entire personality is law, superiority complex,” Oikawa droned, counting the traits on his fingers. “You know, the works.”

“That bad?”

“Oh, Iwa-chan. You have no idea!” Oikawa exclaimed, sitting up while the sheets fell and pooled around his waist. “When we had dinner- it was only once, like I said. No need to be jealous- he said I had thrown away my future by not choosing to come to his firm. He said we could have been partners had I chosen differently and that I would struggle to find success without him. Literally who the fuck says that?”

Things were slowly starting to make sense. Oikawa’s overzealous attitude, his competitive spirit that never seemed to have an end, the hatred for Ushijima that seemed to go much deeper than a rivalry… “So you’re the way you are-“

“To prove Ushijima wrong?” Oikawa finished. “I mean at first. I’m a prideful person, I’ll admit it. After a while though, I stopped caring about him. I had proven my worth to my firm and that was all that mattered. I was making a name for myself so why shouldn’t I do it entirely for myself. To fulfill my own goals that I set. To be the lawyer I want to be.”

Iwaizumi reached down, lacing his fingers with Oikawa’s. This man was so full of life and he knew exactly what he wanted. It was admirable. “I respect you.”

Iwaizumi didn’t fail to miss the blush blooming on Oikawa’s cheeks though he tried to move the conversation along. “Long story short, you’re not an asshole and now I’m naked in your bed, so you’re welcome.”

“I think I should be saying you’re welcome for letting you in my bed,” Iwaizumi teased, letting his fingers trail up and down Oikawa’s side.

“Whatever,” he said with a wave of his hand. “I think that’s why I got upset when you said you wanted to be more than a lawyer because you already were. I knew what it looked like to be nothing but a lawyer and I hated that you felt like that’s all you amounted to. You’re not allowed to talk about yourself like that.”

Iwaizumi’s brows furrowed. “I don’t remember saying that.”

“You were plastered so that’s no surprise. To refresh your memory you said you wanted to be like me and that you were scared you were  _ just  _ a lawyer,” Oikawa explained before a smirk grew on his face. ‘You also said I’m heaven on earth and you have never seen anyone more perfect in your life.”

“The first two, maybe. The last two, there’s no chance in hell.”

“You better think I’m heaven on earth after the way we just spent the last hour.”

Iwaizumi hummed. “You were alright. I would have to do it again to really decide.”

“Pervert.”

“Come here,” Iwaizumi pulled on his arm and brought him closer, leaning up and pressing a kiss to his lips. “Let me take you on a date.”

Oikawa’s eyes widened, small grin appearing on his lips. “Iwa-chan, I didn’t know you were so serious about this.”

“I am about you,” Iwaizumi admitted. He ran a hand through Oikawa’s hair. He had wasted enough time not understanding his feelings. If he could have Oikawa, he would make him his. End of story.

Oikawa’s smile grew. “Tell me when and I’ll be there.”

“As soon as I get Ito to change the charges. It’ll be a celebration for our hard work.”

He wished he could take him tonight, but unfortunately, he still had too much work to be done. Further crossing that line with Oikawa would only make it harder to focus. If he knew he could lay around in bed with a gorgeous man that wanted him too, why would he do anything else?

“It was mostly your work. I just sat there and looked pretty.”

Iwaizumi guided Oikawa down so he was laying on his chest once more. “Do you always talk this much after sex?”

“Guess you didn’t fuck me hard enough to put me to sleep,” Oikawa teased, sticking out his tongue.

“Oh, is that it?” Iwaizumi asked, his grip tightening around Oikawa’s waist. “I can do a round two right now if you want.”

“I mean, I’m not going to tell you  _ no _ .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOHOOO YAY okay good lord that mutual pining was killing me there. finally some relief. I'm working on a playlist for the story and hopefully i can have it posted with the last chapter
> 
> only two more chapters left and then i have some more exciting stories to release hehehehe
> 
> twitter: prettyboitooru
> 
> come talk to me!


	8. once inevitable progress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> iwaizumi has to break the news regarding the case to ito.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi lovelies! i'm so sorry this update took so long to get out. my personal life has practically been a madhouse but im happy to be back and im hoping the last chapter will be out in a more timely manner! hope you guys enjoy! we're literally so close to the end ahhhhhh!

The office was loud on Monday morning with everyone running between offices and talking to colleagues. Iwaizumi knew a few big cases had their court date soon which explained the utter chaos taking place in the main room. He had his own chaos to sort through, though. Ito agreed to meet with Iwaizumi. Alone. It took far more convincing than Iwaizumi would have imagined, but now that Shimeru wouldn’t be on his father’s hip, actual progress could be made.

Iwaizumi sighed as he aligned the stacks of papers on his desk. The evidence was pretty incriminating, but he would have to convince a father that definitely showed favorites that his precious son was behind what could have been a career-ending scandal for the whole studio. Even the most damning stack of papers might not be enough in a situation like this.

His assistant called to let him know that Ito was here so Iwaizumi walked to the front, doing his best to wear a confident, yet comforting, smile as he greeted the older man. It was odd to see him alone and without the ever-present son behind him, but this was how it should have been all along.

Once they were in the office, Iwaizumi took time to explain that he had finished collecting everything he needed for the current case and that he had reached a conclusion on whether or not Ito should move forward and truly proceed with a lawsuit.

Ito watched him with careful eyes, brows slowly furrowing closer and closer together before he leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms. “You won’t take the case.”

Iwaizumi shook his head. “Not as it currently stands, no.”

“Do you care to explain why? Shimeru and my financial team said there was plenty of evidence to move forwards.”

“There is,” Iwaizumi confirmed. It wasn’t that fraud wasn’t committed. The problem was the accused. 

“I’m failing to see the issue, then.”

Iwaizumi could have told him outright, but it would have made it harder to convince him. He had to present all his evidence before his conclusion. He pulled a stack of paper closer to him, looking at the note Oikawa had written with specific project names listed out for him. “Sir, are you aware of which projects each of your sons oversee?”

“Of course. I’m the one who assigned them.” Ito was clearly unimpressed with the current situation so far. Iwaizumi would have to do his best to recover.

“That will make things easy, then,” Iwaizumi smiled. It was small, intended to be reassuring but Ito’s face remained unchanged. “Who led the production of  _ Another Tomorrow _ ?”

“Shimeru.”

Iwaizumi put a checkmark.

“What about  _ Beyond the Blue Skies _ ?”

“Shimeru.”

Another check.

“Wonderful. Last one.” Iwaizumi worked to keep his breath steady. If this last project could be confirmed as Shimeru’s... “ _ Paper Trails. _ ”

“Shimeru,” Ito confirmed with a nod but his frown grew. “Those were three of our most successful projects.”

Iwaizumi could feel the unsteadiness in his hand as he marked the last check. Unfortunately, just because Shimeru was the head of these projects didn’t necessarily mean that he was the sole guilty party. He could have a group involved which would make this even messier.

Iwaizumi tapped his pen on the desk as he watched Ito. “Who all was aware of the project heads for each team?”

“I was and then the team, of course.”

Iwaizumi had figured out that much. However, that didn’t eliminate the possibility of help. “What about those in finance?”

“Finance handles all the documentation, so they’re sure to see names once the paperwork reaches them.”

_ Once the paperwork reaches them _ . Iwaizumi pondered on that statement momentarily. Nothing was said that implied they knew the team assignments beforehand.

“In theory, names could be changed before reaching the financial department and those employees would be none the wiser?”

“I guess so, but why would anyone do that? It’s how you get compensated for your work, so I can’t imagine a reason to intentionally change names.”

“To commit fraud and pin it on someone else.”

“What are you trying to say?”

Iwaizumi presented the paperwork Oikawa had so carefully organized. “There’s a few inconsistencies within the budget, revenue, and overall profit for these shows I mentioned earlier.  _ Paper Trails _ , especially. I have a feeling that this is just one of many shows that your oldest tried to pin on Tojiro.”

Ito’s face fell, clearly distraught by the discovery.

“It would help me greatly if you could make a list of each show both sons oversaw. I think the evidence in my office could have been tampered with before it arrived to me. I am unable to truly work with any documents that have been brought to me thus far.”

Ito shook his head, eyes wide in disbelief as he scanned the immense documentation that claimed his trusted son was the one harming their company. “I don’t understand.”

“Mr. Ito, my deepest apologies, but I can not accept this case as it is now,” Iwaizumi elaborated. “If you are willing to drop the charges against Tojiro and pursue Shimeru instead, I would be happy to represent you.”

“Shimeru wouldn’t-“

Iwaizumi interrupted him, not out of disrespect, but simply because Shimeru  _ would.  _ He did. It wasn’t worth prolonging the discussion and entertaining denial. “It was shocking to me as well, so I’m sure it’s hard to hear as his father. I would be happy to show you everything else I’ve gathered if you would like further reassurance.”

Ito nodded. “If you could give me everything you have, please. I’m sure you’re a competent man, this is just something I have to see for myself.”

“If you decide to change the case, please send over any official documents you might have in your possession. I don’t mind picking them up if I need to in order to avoid any further tampering.”

“Do I have a choice?”

“There are a few options if you do not feel comfortable moving forward with the case, however, I do not think you’ll be too fond of any since they all require removing Shimeru from his position. Since the case has been fairly public thus far, it would damage your reputation for many reasons. You are in a difficult position and I am truly sorry for that, but I think taking a legal route might be the best for you to maintain the company’s image and your own personal reputation.”

“We move forward then. I’ll inform Shimeru that he will need to look for a lawyer.”

“I will begin working as soon as you are able to deliver the original documents.”

Ito nodded, clearly upset by the meeting. This surely wasn’t how he expected things to go.

“Let me walk you out.”

They made polite small talk as Iwaizumi escorted him to the elevator. He left him with a promise to do the best he could. Ito nodded solemnly.

Iwaizumi ran his hands through his hair, taking a deep breath as he walked back to his office. He would win this case. The Ito family would surely have their fair share of issues after this, but he could do this.

☀/☾

“Okay, okay, wait. Let me get this straight. The case was a huge fraud?” Hanamaki asked, shoveling rice into his mouth. Iwaizumi had just finished catching his two friends up on the absolute shitshow this case had become while they both listened eagerly.

Iwaizumi nodded. “I don’t know whether to be impressed that Shimeru was able to almost pull this off or disappointed in the entire studio for never catching on.”

“The craziest thing to me is that everything would come to light in the courtroom,” Matsukawa said. “Everything always does. You would start presenting your case and Papa Ito would realize pretty quick that shit wasn’t adding up.”

“Not to mention Tojiro would have plenty of evidence proving his innocence. It would have been a nightmare,” Iwaizumi sighed, pushing his empty food container away.

Hanamaki laughed. “Moron really told his dad to go to court with this and thought it would be great.”

“The people who think they’re the smartest are usually the stupidest,” Iwaizumi was just glad he managed to avoid the utter embarrassment this case could have been. 

“You should put that on a mug,” Hanamaki said, nodding as he dropped his chopsticks onto his desk.

“At least you’re practically done with the whole thing now right?” Matsukawa asked.

“More or less.”

Hanamaki sat up straighter, pointing at Iwaizumi. “You won’t have to spend endless nights with your favorite defense attorney.”

Iwaizumi nodded slowly. If he said too much, he feared he might let on to his true feelings about the case wrapping up. Considering he didn’t even fully understand the emotions swirling around in his brain, chest, and stomach, he didn’t really want to be questioned endlessly by the devil’s favorite demons that he for some reason calls friends. “Right…”

Hanamaki hummed, spinning back and forth in his desk chair. “I would think you were sad if I didn’t know you better.”

“Shut up. It’ll just be weird to work alone again. That’s all.”

A decent excuse. This was the first time he had ever had someone to work with that he actually trusted. Most of the time there was a case that required a collaborative effort, Iwaizumi spent too much time in his friends’ offices complaining about the lack of competency in the company. He couldn’t recall a time through this process with Oikawa that he had complained about the man’s intelligence or ability. It was only about his personality, which Iwaizumi still thought could be shitty at times. He just was so used to it now that he didn’t mind it all that much. It also helped to discover all the shitty parts were part of this stupid facade the defense attorney insisted on having.

“I’m sure that’s what it is,” Matsukawa snorted.

“Okay, idiots. As much as I love to have a distraction from work, I have a few deadlines coming up so I’m kicking you out,” Hanamaki said, pushing away from his desk as he waited for his two guests to make a move.

Iwaizumi stood up first knowing that he too had plenty of work to be done within the next few weeks. The Ito case was unfortunately not the only one on his plate though everything else had become an afterthought in the chaos of this one case. Matsukawa stayed sitting, choosing to argue with Hanamaki about something ridiculous even as Iwaizumi was walking out the door.

Matsukawa was right. He was practically done with the case now. He knew what evidence he would use, which witnesses to bring to the stand. He knew how to win this case. He also knew he didn’t need Oikawa’s help anymore. That pill was surprisingly hard to swallow as he walked back to his office slowly. The sooner he got there, the sooner he had to call Oikawa and tell him what should be good news. Instead, he just felt dread.

☀/☾

He didn’t call Oikawa.

Yesterday afternoon was spent staring at his phone as he tried to work up the courage to pick it up and dial Oikawa’s number. Instead, he distracted himself by wrapping up his minor cases and getting a head start on his new ones. It was easier to work than confront the tidal waves of emotions he was currently trying to process.

After coming back from his extended, early lunch he found a long limbed, floppy haired man sitting in the chair in front of his desk. Iwaizumi smiled to himself. Guess he wouldn’t have to worry about calling him after all. He slid his phone back into his pocket and opened the door to his office ignoring the way his heart picked up ever so slightly in excitement.

“Oikawa.”

“Iwa-chan.”

Iwaizumi looked at where his hand dangled off the arm of the chair, wanting to lift Oikawa’s knuckles to his lips in greeting. He would have if there wasn’t a wall of glass between him and the rest of the office. Instead, he stopped right in front of Oikawa and leaned up against the desk.

He gave the man in front of him a once over, not failing to notice the full suit and briefcase sitting on the floor. Any teasing remark he had slid back down his throat as he instead asked the question he didn’t really want to know the answer to. “Going back to work?”

The blissful in-between they were currently existing in had to reach its end eventually. He knew this was coming. He just didn’t want to come to terms with the fact that Oikawa wouldn’t just be his anymore.

“As of tomorrow, technically,” Oikawa sighed before nudging Iwaizumi’s leg with the toe of his shoe. “Wanted to come see you first.”

If it was simply to talk, Oikawa wouldn’t look this serious. He would have burst into Iwaizumi’s office, wanting to make an entrance that could gather the attention of everyone in the office. “Something going on?”

“Ito Shimeru approached me about defending him for the upcoming case.”

“I see,” Iwaizumi nodded. He knew he would face Oikawa in court again. It was inevitable. He just didn’t expect it to be so soon. His stomach twisted at the thought that Oikawa might have set him up for failure just to profit off his trusting nature.

“I referred him to Ushiwaka.” Oikawa smiled.

Iwaizumi’s eyes widened. “Oikawa, I don’t want you to turn down a case just because-”

“Try not to flatter yourself, Iwa-chan. I only said no because I knew I would lose,” Oikawa dismissed him with a swat of his hand before pouting lightly. “I hate losing.”

“You promise it’s not about me?”

“If the younger brother would have come to me, I would have said yes and you wouldn’t have stood a chance.”

Iwaizumi laughed lightly, shaking his head. He shouldn’t have expected anything different from Oikawa. “You’re such a crappy guy.”

Oikawa shrugged. “Never claimed to be anything but. Besides, I hate Shimeru, in case you forgot.”

They smiled at each other and Oikawa’s eyes glinted with mischief. Iwaizumi’s mouth opened to ask the other just what he was thinking about when his office door flew open and revealed a very erratic Hanamaki.

Hanamaki ran into the room, eyes wide and smile growing by the second as his gaze fell on the man in the chair. Iwaizumi silently waited for Hanamaki to berate him. There would be endless taunts and jabs about why Oikawa Tooru was in his office, alone, and Iwaizumi was smiling fondly at him. He took a deep breath and waited for the teasing.

“Oikawa?” Hanamaki asked.

Oikawa’s face lit up as he jumped out of the chair. “Makki!”

Iwaizumi’s brows furrowed at the nickname.

“I thought that was you! Who else besides me and Issei would spend time annoying Iwaizumi?”

Oikawa pulled him into a hug and patted his back loudly before taking a step away and smiling.

“Where  _ is _ my precious Mattsun?”

Iwaizumi assumed that was Matsukawa. 

“He should be here any second. I texted him saying I thought I saw you.”

“I haven’t seen him in, like, three days. It’s practically a drought,” Oikawa sighed dramatically, emphasizing his point with an exaggerated frown.

Iwaizumi stood up straight, holding his hand out as he tried to process the scene in front of him. “You all know each other?”

“Of course!” Oikawa replied excitedly. “Mattsun and I went to the same high school and played on the volleyball team. Then Makki and I went to law school together! I introduced them when I found out they both applied to the same firm.”

Iwaizumi looked between the two of them. “So all this time-”

“We were hanging out with Oikawa after you talked about how much you despised him?” Hanamaki asked, hand draped over Oikawa’s shoulder. “Absolutely.”

Oikawa turned his attention back to Hanamaki. “How are you two, by the way? I see you all the time, but I never  _ ask. _ ” 

“Really good. It was our anniversary last week so we went to this old restaurant downtown and-”

Iwaizumi felt like his head might explode from all the new information he was receiving in such a short amount of time. He held out his hand weakly in a poor attempt to pause the conversation. “Hold on. Anniversary?”

Matsukawa swung open the door and walked straight to Oikawa, clasping their hands together as they laughed about God knows what.

Hanamaki kept his focus on Iwaizumi, brows furrowed. “Yeah, three years now. You didn’t know?”

Matsukawa looked up and slung his arm around who was apparently his boyfriend. “What didn’t he know?”

“That you two were dating, I assume,” Oikawa answered instead.

Matsukawa laughed as he shifted his attention back to Iwaizumi, face morphing into an expression of disbelief. “Wait, seriously? I thought we were pretty obvious.”

“I had always thought you told us no to meeting at our place because you didn’t want to third wheel,” Hanamaki continued.

Oikawa sat on the arm of the chair, arms crossed and smile wide. “No. Iwa-chan just values his alone time.”

“Don’t speak for me, traitor,” Iwaizumi cut in, still trying to wrap his mind around the whole situation.

“Technically,” Oikawa started. “Anyone in this room but me is the traitor. You for not telling your friends you were actually in love with me-“

“Watch your word choices, Shittykawa.”

“-and Mattsun and Makki because they didn’t tell you they knew me and were my secret spies for the past few years.”

“I’m sorry. Your what?”

“Okay, no. Let me explain,” Hanamaki interrupted. “Oikawa would ask if you still hated him or not and we would always say yes. It was that simple. He just wanted to know when he could make a move and we always said never. We were helping you, too.”

“I hate everything about this.”

“Break up with me, then,” Oikawa smirked.

“No,” Iwaizumi scolded. “Now get out of my office. You’re distracting me. Besides, you have work to go to now, too.”

Oikawa rested his chin on his hand. “It’s not as fun as bugging you.”

“I’ll call security.”

“Iwa-chan is so boring,” Oikawa sighed, rolling his eyes before looking at Hanamaki and Matsukawa. “Can’t believe you two are friends with this guy. Willingly, too.”

“Wait, when did you two get together?” Hanamaki asked, confused.

Oikawa hummed, thinking. “Two days ago?”

“We haven’t even really talked about it yet,” Iwaizumi corrected him.

“Can we all go on double dates?” Matsukawa asked

Iwaizumi shook his head. “No. I despise all of you.”

“I thought you were going to call security, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa taunted. “I’m waiting for my brute of an escort to show me the door.”

Hanamaki laughed. “If that’s what you want, you should just have Iwaizumi do it himself.”

“That would be a dream,” Oikawa sighed before smirking devilishly at Iwaizumi with his arms extended towards him. “Iwa-chan, put my hands behind my back.”

“No wonder you’re all friends,” Iwaizumi groaned.

They all smiled at each other while Iwaizumi just had to watch. This was a match-up from his darkest nightmare. 

“Can I talk to this asshole alone, please? You two can talk to him later.”

“If you fuck in the office, everyone will see,” Hanamaki sang.

“But if you need a spot to go,” Matsukawa chimed in, “we do have our suggestions.”

Oikawa clapped excitedly. “Oh! Do share!”

“Please, just leave.”

Iwaizumi was surprised when Hanamaki and Matuskawa left the room without having to be shoved out of it. He sighed once the door shut and resumed his place in front of Oikawa, leaning against his desk. He would go and sit in his chair but that left too much space between them for his liking.

“I’m guessing you’ve already figured out that Ito dropped the case against Tojiro considering the offer you got,” Iwaizumi mumbled.

“While I’m hurt you didn’t  _ tell  _ me, I was a bit surprised you were able to convince him so quickly,” Oikawa replied. “He seemed to trust his oldest a great deal.”

“It honestly wasn’t hard since he admitted that Shimeru was the head of the projects before I even showed him the fucked up numbers.”

Oikawa rested his chin on his hand, smirking up at Iwaizumi. “Look at you, Iwa-chan. Such a lawyer. He played right into your hand.”

“Maybe so.”

Oikawa smiled at him. It was a small smile but Iwaizumi knew it meant he was proud. Iwaizumi wanted to make him smile like that again. And again.

Iwaizumi looked away, clearing his throat. “Not to kill the mood, but what’s your workload going to be like?” Iwaizumi asked. Oikawa seemed to understand the implication.  _ How are we going to make this work?  _

Slouching in his chair, Oikawa shrugged. “Pretty heavy at first. I’m going to have to start quite a few cases from the beginning and that's going to take a lot of time.”

“When can I see you?”

“Every time I’m free. I’m not as much of a workaholic as you are.”

Iwaizumi reached for Oikawa’s hand. “Maybe I should quit and open a restaurant like you said.”

“Somehow, I think that would be more time-consuming.”

“Probably.”

Oikawa’s fingers laced between Iwaizumi’s. “I should be going to the office. I have some things I need to get set up before tomorrow.”

“Call me tonight?”

Oikawa hummed. “Or, I could come over.”

“Even better.”

Iwaizumi pulled him up from the chair, checked to see if anyone was looking, and pressed a quick kiss to Oikawa’s lips.

“Bold, Iwa-chan.”

Iwaizumi laughed lightly. “Everyone’s on lunch.”

“Then kiss me again.”

He leaned forward once more, kissing him longer and deeper than he probably should have.

“Get back to your firm. You’re going to get me in trouble,” Iwaizumi mumbled before giving a firm pat to Oikawa’s ass.

Oikawa laughed but left anyway with a small wave at the door.

☀/☾

Oikawa showed up at Iwaizumi’s door later that night as expected with a bottle of wine in hand. His hair was windswept from the walk and his cheeks slightly red from the bite of the breeze. He looked incredible and Iwaizumi couldn’t help but to slip an arm around his waist and pull him into a kiss.

“Missed you,” Iwaizumi mumbled against Oikawa’s lips before leaning in again.

“Didn’t know you were such a sap, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa laughed lightly, pressing a quick pech to Iwaizumi’s lips before slipping out of his coat and hanging it up. “Besides, I’m pretty sure I just saw you a few hours ago.”

“It was at my office. I couldn’t do everything I wanted so it doesn’t count.”

“Scandalous.”

“Shut up.”

Truthfully, Iwaizumi just wanted to hold his hand and talk to him for a few hours now that the stress of the case was eliminated, but instead, he was interrupted by their idiot friends. Not to mention, the visit was cut short by Oikawa’s responsibilities now that he would be returning to work. Iwaizumi didn’t count the visit in terms of actually spending time with Oikawa. 

“Smells good. Are you cooking me dinner?”

“I’m almost done. I figured if I started after you came over, it might take three times as long with you staring over my shoulder. I didn’t want to listen to you complain about being hungry.” Iwaizumi replied as he walked into the kitchen, checking on the food in the oven and on the stovetop.

Oikawa came up behind him and rested his chin on his shoulder. “So mean, Iwa-chan.”

“I’m aware.”

Oikawa pressed a kiss to Iwaizumi’s cheek before grabbing two wine glasses from the cabinet.

Iwaizumi always forgets how familiar Oikawa is with his place now that they spent most nights in it working together. He knows where to find whatever he might need. It’s a strangely comforting feeling when Oikawa doesn’t need to ask, he just knows. Like he belongs here. He belongs in this kitchen just as much as he does at the dining table and on the couch with his pillow and blanket. He belongs in this apartment. More importantly, he belongs in Iwaizumi’s life.

Dinner went by too fast for Iwaizumi’s liking now that their conversation had more freedom. Without the constant weight of a ridiculous, seemingly hopeless case on their shoulders, topics flowed easily between the two of them. It relieved some stress Iwaizumi had about how they would get along with nothing to talk about. He should have known that was a baseless fear given the fact that they spent most of their nights talking about nothing as of late anyway.

Iwaizumi asked himself if he would ever tire of the animated way Oikawa spoke. Of his smile and hand gestures that happened so frequently, Iwaizumi wondered how he was managing to eat between them. He couldn’t imagine a day where that would come. He would always be entranced by Oikawa’s stories. Iwaizumi thought that Oikawa could talk about water filtration at this point and he would still hang onto every word.

Oikawa interrupted his thoughts of admiration with a long sigh. “I hope you don’t think this counts as the date you agreed to take me on.”

“I wouldn’t consider something we’ve been doing for the past couple of months a date, Shittykawa. At least  _ try  _ to think a bit more highly of me.”

“I’m expecting the whole wine and dine experience.”

“As if I would give you anything less.”

The smile on Oikawa’s face was enough to convince Iwaizumi that he would give him the world if he ever asked for it.

After dinner, Oikawa nestled into his spot on the couch before stretching his legs so they rested in Iwaizumi’s lap. He smiled playfully before taking a sip of his wine. Iwaizumi placed a hand over Oikawa’s knee, thumb tracing back and forth as he watched Oikawa’s face morph into a satisfied grin.

“Where is this going, Iwa-chan?”

Leaning forward, Iwaizumi pressed a quick kiss to Oikawa’s lips before he whispered with a teasing grin, “If I play my cards right, my bed.”

Oikawa laughed and pushed him away. “No, I mean  _ us _ . Where are we going?”

Iwaizumi shrugged. “You’re the one that said we’re together.”

“But  _ you’re  _ the one that said we haven’t talked about it. So here I am. Talking about it. I can be a mature adult sometimes.”

“I want to be with you.” 

The admission came much easier than Iwaizumi expected given the absolute turmoil he went through before he even felt comfortable making the confession to himself. But, it was the simple truth. Iwaizumi wanted to be with Oikawa. Against all odds and preconceived notions previously held against Oikawa, Iwaizumi managed to begin to fall in love with the floppy-haired bastard that had previously made his life living hell.

Oikawa’s smile was small but it was bright enough to light up the whole damn room. Iwaizumi silently wished he could take a picture of it as he watched Oikawa’s cheeks flush ever so slightly as his shoulders relaxed. His face was entirely honest and genuine, free of any performative grandiosity that was practically a constant in public.

“Great. Then we’re on the same page,” Oikawa replied smugly. 

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes before reaching for Oikawa’s hand and lacing their fingers together. “I told you I was serious about you. Did you not believe me?”

“The post-sex high can make you say crazy stuff, Iwa-chan. Especially when you were with someone as good as me. I would understand if in your haze you were desperate to keep me coming back to your bed.”

Iwaizumi's grip shifted to Oikawa’s wrist, and he pulled him closer until he was practically on Iwaizumi’s lap. “Well, here I am, free of any endorphins, telling you I, for some reason, really like you and want to be with you. How is that, Oikawa Tooru?”

“Quite acceptable, Iwaizumi Hajime.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay ahhhh i'm so happy to be writing these two again!!!!! i had to bring hanamaki and matsukawa in somehow for a very pleasant seijoh4 moment ahahahaha love their dynamics. this chapter was super dialogue heavy but i didn't know how else to deliver the story so i hope you guys didn't mind! much love and hope to see yall with the last update v soon!
> 
> twitter: prettyboitooru


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